Information receiving/recording/reproducing apparatus and method thereof using a secondary memory device before switching to a real time transmission

ABSTRACT

A recording and reproduction allows recording and playback of video and audio signals. While viewing a recorded video and audio signal, it is sometimes desirable to switch to a real-time transmission. A time lag, however, can occur during this switching when a disk recording device is used. By providing a system with both a disk recording device and a high speed semiconductor recording device, it is possible to realize a smaller time lag and therefore smooth switching from a recorded signal to a real-time signal.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus for implementing a time shift reproduction byutilizing a disk recording medium which allows random access, aninformation reception, recording and reproduction method, and the like,which is, for example, characterized by implementing smooth switching ofreproduction conditions when implementing a specific reproduction offorward direction high speed reproduction or backward direction highspeed reproduction, in particular, when converting from the condition ofreproducing an input video sound signal in real time to a specificreproduction and converting from a specific reproduction to thecondition of reproducing an input video sound signal in real time.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY

Conventionally, as for an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus for implementing a time shift reproduction byutilizing a disk recording medium which allows random access, a methodand an apparatus such as is described in Japanese unexamined patentpublication H7(1995)-30851 which records TV programs in real time andreproduces at an arbitrary time are known.

In the following, a configuration and an operation of an informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus according to a prior artis described in reference to FIG. 32.

As shown in the figure, an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to a prior art is formed of a timeshift means 3200 for temporarily recording an analog input video signalsuch as a TV broadcast which is then reproduced, a switching part 3208for receiving inputs of a video signal which is outputted from the timeshift means 3200 and a video signal transmitted in real time so that oneof the video signals is selectively outputted and a display part 3209for displaying the video signal outputted from the switching part 3208.

Next, in the time shift means 3200, processing of the inputted videosignal is as follows. That is to say, an AD conversion part (in thefigure referred to ADC) 3201 digitally converts a video signal and acompression processing part 3203 compresses the digitally converted dataand recorded it in a recording apparatus 3204 that is a recording mediumallowing a random access. Here, it is possible to read out the videodata recorded in the recording apparatus 3204 at an arbitrary time.

The video data recorded in the recording apparatus 3204 is outputted toan expansion processing part 3205 at a predetermined time which can bearbitrarily set to the time when reproduction is desired. Next, thevideo data is expanded from the condition of being compressed in theexpansion processing part 3205 and the digital video data is convertedto an analog video signal in a DA conversion part (referred to as DAC inthe figure) 3207 and, then, is outputted to the switching part 3208.

In addition, in the switching part 3208, switching is carried out toselect either the case where the input video signal, such as the currentTV broadcast, is displayed in real time or the case where the videosignal reproduced via the recording unit 3204 is displayed and, then,the corresponding video signal is outputted to the display part 3209 soas to be displayed.

In addition, in an apparatus which uses a recording medium, such as amagnetic disk or an magnetic optical disk, allowing random access whichis an example of the time shift reproduction means 3200, specificreproductions such as a pause in reproduction, a forward direction highspeed reproduction, a forward direction slow reproduction and a backwarddirection high speed reproduction can be easily implemented.

In the case that a means of reproducing video sound data recorded insuch a recording medium, that is to say, the time shift reproductionmeans 3200 is constantly utilized for reproducing a video sound signal,it is possible to smoothly switch the reproduction conditions at thetime when the reproduction conditions are switched from a normalreproduction to the above specific reproductions or at the time when thereproduction conditions are switched from the above specificreproductions to a normal reproduction.

However, since a time lag due to signal processing time on the timeshift reproduction means 3200 side occurs between the inputted videosound signal, primarily transmitted in real time, and the video soundsignal outputted from the time shift reproduction means 3200 whichreproduces data that has once been recorded in a recording medium, insome cases the smooth switching of reproduction conditions becomesdifficult at the time of constant utilization of the time shiftreproduction means 3200.

For example, in the case that the input video sound signal is a TVbroadcast, when a viewed channel (of a TV station) is switched andswitching is carried out from the input video sound signal transmittedin real time to the video sound signal outputted from the time shiftmeans 3200, time for processing the signal of the channel switched to isrequired before the video sound signal is outputted from the time shiftmeans 3200. This processing time becomes the amount of time of the abovetime lag during which a blank screen is displayed on the display part3209 and, as a result, a smooth switching of the input video soundsignal is not carried out.

The switching part 3208 corresponds to the above described condition andtakes into account, in advance, the reproduction conditions in the twomeans of the time shift reproduction means 3200 and the means ofreproducing an input video sound signal in real time so that signalsfrom both means are switched by receiving a signal input from the meansof real time reproduction according to timing which causes a time lag.

However, in the case that switching from a normal reproduction to aspecific reproduction is carried out, that is to say, in the case thatthe condition of reproducing an input video sound signal in real time isshifted to the condition of a backward direction high speed reproductionor a forward direction low speed reproduction, or in the case thatswitching is carried out from the forward direction high speedreproduction from a recording medium to a real time reproduction of aninput video sound signal, the effect of the above described time lagcannot be removed even by means of the above described method and asmooth switching of the reproduction conditions cannot be realized.

In addition, though only in the case that input video sound data isconstantly reproduced in real time without being recorded in a recordingmedium and specific reproductions such as a pause in reproduction, aforward direction high speed reproduction, a forward direction slowreproduction, a backward direction high speed reproduction are carriedout, a smooth output of the switched input video sound data is possiblewhen the video sound data recorded in the recording medium isreproduced, a time lag has occurred between the input video sound dataand the video sound data outputted via the recording medium as isalready described and, therefore, a time lag has occurred between thevideo sound data at the time of normal reproduction and the video sounddata at the time of specific reproduction when the reproductioncondition is switched from the normal reproduction to the above or whenthe reproduction condition is switched from the above specificreproduction to the normal reproduction and, thereby, a smooth switchingof the reproduction conditions can not be realized because of effects ofthis time lag.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is provided in view of the above describedproblems and a purpose of the invention is to provide an informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus, an informationreception, recording and reproduction method, and the like, wherein asmooth switching of the reproduction conditions and the switching ofinput video sound signals can be carried out giving an unnatural feelingto the user due to the effects of the above described time lag.

To achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention is aninformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus for carryingout a time shift reproduction wherein a video sound signal is reproducedafter being temporarily recorded, comprising, at least:

a first recording means of recording said video sound signal in order tocarry out the operation of said time shift reproduction, which allowsrandom access, and a second recording means, which allows random access,at a speed higher than that of said first recording means;

a real time transmission means of transmitting said video sound signalin real time; and

a switching means of switching among, and outputting, an output of saidfirst recording means, an output of said second recording means and anoutput of said real time transmission means.

Another aspect of the present invention is the above-describedinvention, wherein said switching means carries out a switchingoperation based on a monitored condition of said video sound signal.

Still another aspect of the present is the above-described invention,wherein the output of said second recording means is used during, atleast, output switching between the output of said first recording meansand the output of said real time transmission means.

Yet still another aspect of the present invention is the above-describedinvention, further comprising:

a first coding means of receiving an input of an analog signal as saidvideo sound signal and of digitally coding said analog signal into codeddata; and

a first decoding means of gaining a digital signal by decoding saidcoded data and of converting the digital signal into an analog signal,

wherein said first recording means and/or said second recording meanscarry out recording and reproduction of said video sound signal in theform of said coded data and/or said digital signal.

Still yet another aspect of the present invention is the above-describedinvention, further comprising a second decoding means of receiving codeddata that is digitally coded as said video sound signal, of gaining adigital signal by decoding said coded data and, in addition, ofconverting the digital signal into an analog signal,

wherein said first recording means and/or said second recording meanscarry out recording and reproduction of said video sound signal in theform of said coded data and/or said digital signal.

A further aspect of the present invention is the above-describedinvention, further comprising a sampling means of sampling the entirety,or a part of, said video sound signal as a specific reproduction signalfor use in a specific reproduction based on the reproduction conditionof said video sound signal,

A still further aspect of the present invention is the above-describedinvention, wherein said sampling means has the function of changing theintervals of sampling time of said specific reproduction signal inaccordance with the speed of the specific reproduction.

A yet further aspect of the present invention is the above-describedinvention, wherein said sampling means samples said specificreproduction signal in, at least, the form of said coded data.

A still yet further aspect of the present invention is theabove-described invention, wherein said sampling means samples saidspecific reproduction signal in, at least, the form of the digitalsignal before said coded data is coded.

An additional aspect of the present invention is the above-describedinvention, wherein said second recording means changes the order ofreproduction of the coded data, which is said specific reproductionsignal, and of the digital data before being coded, based on thereproduction condition of said video sound signal.

A still additional aspect of the present invention is an informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus, comprising:

a selection means of selecting a signal to be outputted from among aplurality of received signals based on a predetermined indication;

a recording and reproduction means of once recording said selectedsignal and of reproducing the once recorded signal;

an output switching means of switching between (a) an output of areproduction signal outputted from said recording and reproduction meansas a first signal and (b) an output of said selected signal, which doesnot pass through said recording and reproduction means, as a secondsignal;

a detection means of detecting a position where a switching from theoutput of said second signal to the output of said first signal iscarried out from said signal recorded in said recording and reproductionmeans; and

a switching control means of controlling, at the time when a change ofthe selection of said signal to be outputted in said selection means isindicated, (1) the signal selected based on said change indication isoutputted without passing through said recording and reproduction meansand, after that, (2) the signal is switched to the output of the signalselected based on said change indication which is recorded in saidrecording and reproduction means based on the detection result of theposition for carrying out said switching of said detection means.

A yet additional aspect of the present invention is the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus according to the 11thinvention:

a time information sampling means of sampling information with respectto time corresponding to said detected position for carrying out theswitching from said signal; and

a switching position specification means of checking said informationsampled from said reproduction signal which is reproduced by saidrecording and reproduction means and of specifying a position forcarrying out said corresponding switching,

wherein said control for switching based on said detection result means(1) when said detection means detects said position for carrying out theswitching said output switching means is controlled so as to make theconversion to a predetermined condition and (2) when said switchingposition specification means specifies said position for carrying outthe switching, said output switching means switches to the output of thesignal which is recorded in said recording and reproduction means andwhich is selected based on said change indication.

A still yet additional aspect of the present invention is theinformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus according tothe 12th invention, wherein said control of the output switching meansso as to make the conversion into a predetermined condition means tofreeze the signal, which is outputted to said output switching meanswithout passing through said recording and reproduction means and whichis selected based on said change indication, in the condition of saiddetected position for carrying out the switching.

A supplementary aspect of the present invention is the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus according to the 13thinvention,

wherein said received signal is an analog or a digital video soundsignal which has a time stamp and

wherein said information is said time stamp.

A still supplementary aspect of the present invention is the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus according to the 14thinvention, wherein said position for carrying out the switching is ascene switching position of said video sound signal.

A yet supplementary aspect of the present invention is the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus according to the 14thinvention, wherein said position for carrying out the switching is asound mode switching position of said video sound signal.

A still yet supplementary aspect of the present invention is theinformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus according tothe 14th invention,

wherein said video sound signal has a commercial message and

wherein said position for carrying out the switching is a portion ofsaid commercial message of said video sound signal.

One aspect of the present invention is the Information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus according to the 14th invention,wherein said position for carrying out the switching is (1) asubstantially soundless portion or (2) a substantially motionlessportion from and to the previous and subsequent video image, of saidvideo sound signal.

Another aspect of the present invention is an information reception,recording and reproduction method

wherein, when there is a change indication of the selection of thesignal to be outputted among a plurality of received signals, the signalselected based on said change indication is once recorded in order tooutput said selected signal as a first signal and, at the same time, thesignal is outputted as a second signal,

wherein, a position for carrying out the switching from the output ofsaid second signal to the output of said first signal is detected fromthe recorded signal, and

wherein, after that, control is carried out so as to switch to theoutput of said recorded signal, which is selected according to saidchange indication, based on the detection result of the position forcarrying out said switching.

Still another aspect of the present invention is a program for allowinga computer to function as the entirety of, or a part of, the firstrecording means which records said video sound signal for carrying outthe operation of said time shift reproduction and which allows randomaccess and the second recording means which allows random access at aspeed higher than that of said first recording means, the real timetransmission means of transmitting said video sound signal in real timeand the switching means of switching between and outputting the outputof said first recording means, the output of said second recording meansand the output of said real time transmission means of the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus according to the 1stinvention.

Yet still another aspect of the present invention is a program forallowing a computer to function as the entirety of, or a part of, aselection means of selecting a signal to be outputted from among aplurality of received signals based on a predetermined indication; arecording and reproduction means of once recording said selected signaland of reproducing the once recorded signal; an output switching meansof switching between (a) an output of a reproduction signal outputtedfrom said recording and reproduction means as a first signal and (b) anoutput of said selected signal, which does not pass through saidrecording and reproduction means, as a second signal; a detection meansof detecting a position where a switching from the output of said secondsignal to the output of said first signal is carried out from saidsignal recorded in said recording and reproduction means; and aswitching control means of controlling, at the time when a change of theselection of said signal to be outputted in said selection means isindicated, (1) the signal selected based on said change indication isoutputted without passing through said recording and reproduction meansand, after that, (2) the signal is switched to the output of the signalselected based on said change indication which is recorded in saidrecording and reproduction means based on the detection result of theposition for carrying out said switching of said detection means, of theinformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus according tothe 11th invention.

Still yet another aspect of the present invention is a program forallowing a computer to implement the entirety of, or a part of, thesteps, wherein, when there is a change indication of the selection ofthe signal to be outputted among a plurality of received signals, thesignal selected based on said change indication is once recorded inorder to output said selected signal as a first signal and, at the sametime, the signal is outputted as a second signal, Wherein, a positionfor carrying out the switching from the output of said second signal tothe output of said first signal is detected from the recorded signal,and wherein, after that, control is carried out so as to switch to theoutput of said recorded signal, which is selected according to saidchange indication, based on the detection result of the position forcarrying out said switching, in the information reception, recording andreproduction method according to the 19th invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 3 of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a control condition of a switching controlpart according to Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 3 of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a process wherein the real timereproduction at the time of the forward direction high speedreproduction is caught up with according to Embodiment 1 of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is flow chart showing a process wherein the command for thecommencement of backward direction high speed reproduction is givenaccording to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is flow chart showing a process wherein the command for thecommencement of forward direction low speed reproduction is givenaccording to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a control condition of a switching controlpart according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a process wherein the real timereproduction at the time of the forward direction high speedreproduction is caught up with according to Embodiment 2 of the presentinvention;

FIG. 9 is flow chart showing a process wherein the command for thecommencement of backward direction high speed reproduction is givenaccording to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is flow chart showing a process wherein the command for thecommencement of forward direction low speed reproduction is givenaccording to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing sample data of a recording control partaccording to Embodiment 3, Embodiment 4 and Embodiment 5 of the presentinvention;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to Embodiment 4 of the presentinvention;

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a control condition of a switching controlpart according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to Embodiment 5 of the presentinvention;

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a control condition of a switching controlpart according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing a process wherein the real timereproduction at the time of the forward direction high speedreproduction is caught up with according to Embodiment 5 of the presentinvention;

FIG. 17 is flow chart showing a process wherein the command for thecommencement of backward direction high speed reproduction is givenaccording to Embodiment 5 of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is flow chart showing a process wherein the command for thecommencement of forward direction low speed reproduction is givenaccording to Embodiment 5 of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus at the time of an analog video sound data inputaccording to Embodiment 6 of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus at the time of an digital video sound data inputaccording to Embodiment 7 of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a flow chart showing an output video signal switching processaccording to Embodiment 6 of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus at the time of an analog video sound data inputaccording to Embodiment 8 of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus at the time of an digital video sound data inputaccording to Embodiment 9 of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a flow chart showing an output video signal switching processaccording to Embodiment 8 of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a sound mode according to Embodiment 8 ofthe present invention;

FIG. 26 is a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus at the time of an analog video sound data inputaccording to Embodiment 10 of the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus at the time of an digital video sound data inputaccording to Embodiment 11 of the present invention;

FIG. 28 is a flow chart showing an output video signal switching processaccording to Embodiment 10 of the present invention;

FIG. 29 is a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus at the time of an analog video sound data inputaccording to Embodiment 12 of the present invention;

FIG. 30 is a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus at the time of an digital video sound data inputaccording to Embodiment 13 of the present invention;

FIG. 31 is a flow chart showing an output video signal switching processaccording to Embodiment 12 of the present invention; and

FIG. 32 is a diagram showing an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to a prior art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NUMERALS

-   101, 1201, 1401, 3201 AD conversion part (ADC)-   102, 1202, 1402 coding part-   103, 601, 1203, 1403 disk recording medium part-   104, 602, 1205, 1404 recording control part-   105, 603, 1206, 1405 semiconductor recording medium part-   106, 604, 1406 decoded data switching part-   107, 605, 1209, 1411 switching control part-   108, 606, 1204, 1407 decoding part-   109, 607, 1208, 1409, 3207 DA conversion part (DAC)-   110, 608, 1210, 1410 user interface part-   111, 1211, 1412 output switching part-   112, 609, 1212, 1413 real time transmission path-   1207, 1408 output digital data switching part-   201, 701, 1101, 1301, 1501 reproduction condition-   202, 702, 1502 decoded data switching control-   203, 1303, 1504 output switching part control-   1302, 1503 output digital data switching part control-   1102 sampled video sound data-   1901, 2201, 2601, 2901 AD conversion part (ADC)-   1902, 2202, 2602, 2902 coding part-   1903, 2001 scene change detection part-   1904, 2002, 2204, 2302, 2604, 2702, 2904, 3002 time stamp sampling    part-   1905, 2003, 2205, 2303, 2605, 2703, 2905, 3003 disk recording medium    part-   1906, 2004, 2206, 2304, 2606, 2704, 2906, 3004 time stamp analysis    part-   1907, 2008, 2207, 2308, 2607, 2708, 2907, 3008 decoding part-   1908, 2006, 2208, 2306, 2608, 2706, 2908, 3006 switching control    part-   1909, 2005, 2209, 2305, 2609, 2705, 2909, 3005 user interface part-   1910, 2210, 2610, 2910 frame memory-   1911, 2007, 2211, 2307, 2611, 2707, 2911, 3007 output switching part-   1912, 2009, 2212, 2309, 2612, 2709, 2912, 3009 DA conversion part    (DAC)-   2203, 2301 sound mode change detection part-   2603, 2701 CM detection part-   2903, 3001 coded data amount calculation part-   3202, 3206 frame memory-   3203 compression processing part-   3204 recording apparatus-   3205 expansion processing part-   3208 switching part-   3209 display part-   3210 control part

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiment 1

In the following, Embodiment 1 of the present invention is described inreference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

An information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus accordingto the present Embodiment 1 is different from the prior art and theembodiment relates to an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus for preparing, in order to reproduce an inputtedvideo sound signal, a means of reproduction after recording the signalon a disk recording medium which allows random access, a means ofreproduction after recording the signal on a semiconductor recordingmedium which allows high speed access and a means of reproductionwithout recording the signal on a recording medium and of reproducingthe signal by switching these reproduction means in accordance with thereproduction condition.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus at the time of the input of an analog video soundsignal according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 1, an AD conversion part (referred to as ADC in the figure) isdenoted as 101, a coding part is denoted as 102, a disk recording mediumpart is denoted as 103, a recording control part is denoted as 104, asemiconductor recording medium part is denoted as 105, a decoded dataswitching part is denoted as 106, a switching control part is denoted as107, a decoding part is denoted as 108, a DA conversion part (referredto as DAC in the figure) is denoted as 109, a user interface part isdenoted as 110, an output switching part is denoted as 111 and a realtime transmission path is denoted as 112.

The operation of the information reception, recording and reproductionapparatus according to the present embodiment which has the abovedescribed structure is described as follows. An inputted analog videosound signal is converted to digital video sound data by the ADconversion part 101. The digitalized video sound data is coded in thecoding part 102 and the coded data is recorded on the disk recordingmedium part 103 and in the semiconductor recording medium part 105. Atthis time, data recording to the semiconductor recording medium part 105is recorded in an endless manner wherein recording by rewriting to thelatest data at any arbitrary time through control by means of therecording control part 104.

Next, the switching control part 107 carries out control of the decodeddata switching part 106 and the output switching part 111 in accordancewith the current reproduction condition of an analog video sound signaland an indication, such as a command from the user for changing thereproduction condition according to notification made by means of theuser interface part 110.

In the case that data from the disk recording medium part 103 or fromthe semiconductor recording medium part 105 is designated to bereproduced in the switching control part 107, the coded data read outfrom the recording medium part 103 or 105 is sent to the decoding part108 to be decoded and, in addition, the decoded digital data isconverted to analog data by the DA conversion part 109 so as to beoutputted as an analog video sound signal.

In the case that the analog video sound signal is designated to beoutputted in real time in the switching control part 107, the inputtedanalog video sound signal is outputted without change via the real timetransmission path 112.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a diagram showing the relationships between thereproduction condition in the switching control part 107 and the controlcondition of the decoded data switching part 106 and the outputswitching part 111.

In FIG. 2 the reproduction condition 201 shows the current reproductioncondition of a video sound signal or the shift of the reproductioncondition by a command, or the like, from the user to change thereproduction condition of which the notification is made by means of theuser interface part 110. The reproduction conditions are divided intothe two conditions of the real time reproduction condition and therecorded data reproduction condition wherein the real time reproductioncondition represents the condition of outputting the inputted videosound signal without change via the real time transmission path 112while the recorded data reproduction condition represents the conditionof reproducing and outputting the video sound data read out from therecording medium part 103 or 105. Conditions, such as forward directionhigh speed reproduction, backward direction high speed reproduction andforward direction low speed reproduction, which are the specificreproduction conditions, are all included in the recorded datareproduction condition.

The decoded data switching part control 202 shows a control condition ofthe decoded data switching part 106 occurring at the same time as thereproduction condition 201. The control conditions in the decoded dataswitching part control 202 are a control condition of the setting of theutilization of the data read out from the disk recording medium part 103as the object of decoding, a control condition of the setting of theutilization of the data read out from the semiconductor recording mediumpart 105 as the object of decoding and a control condition of switchingthese two settings.

The output switching part control 203 shows the control condition of theoutput switching part 111 occurring at the same time as the reproductioncondition 201. The control conditions in the output switching partcontrol 203 are a control condition which sets the means of outputtingthe inputted video sound signal in real time without change via the realtime transmission path 112, a control condition which sets the means ofreproducing and of outputting the video sound data read out from therecording medium part 103 or 105 and a control condition of switchingthese two settings.

Next, FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing processing at the time of shift ofthe reproduction condition from the recorded data reproduction conditionto the real time reproduction condition when the real time reproductionis caught up with at the time of forward direction high speedreproduction in the reproduction condition 201 in FIG. 2.

First, in the forward direction high speed reproduction data within thedisk recording medium part 103 is reproduced (Step 303) as long asreproducible data remains within the disk recording medium part 103(Step 301, Step 302). When reproducible data no longer remains withinthe disk recording medium part 103, whether or not reproduction iscarried out simultaneously with recording under the present condition ischecked (Step 302).

In the case of the condition wherein reproduction is not carried outsimultaneously with recording, the data which has been recorded andstored the previous time is reproduced and reproduction cannot becarried out continuously and, therefore, the reproduction is completed.

In the case of the condition wherein reproduction is carried outsimultaneously with recording, the condition occurs wherein the forwarddirection high speed reproduction catches up with the real timereproduction condition. First, the switching control part 107 controlsthe switching of the setting of the decoded data switching part 106 fromthe setting of the utilization of the data of the disk recording mediumpart 103 as the object of decoding to the setting of the utilization ofthe data of the semiconductor recording medium part 105 as the object ofrecording (Step 304), and, then, the data within the semiconductorrecording medium part 105 is reproduced as long as reproducible dataremains within the semiconductor recording medium part 105 (Step 305,Step 307).

When reproducible data no longer remains within the semiconductorrecording medium part 105, the switching control part 107 next controlsthe switching of the setting of the output switching part 111, from thesetting to the means of reproducing and outputting video sound data readout from the recording medium to the setting to the means of outputtingthe inputted video sound signal in real time without recording on therecording medium and, then, switches to real time reproduction (Step306).

Next, FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing processing at the time of the shiftof the reproduction condition from the real time reproduction conditionto the recorded data reproduction condition occurring at the same timeas the command for commencement of backward direction high speedreproduction in the reproduction condition 201 in FIG. 2.

In the case that the commencement of backward direction high speedreproduction is indicated, whether or not the current reproductioncondition is the real time reproduction condition is checked (Step 401).In the case that the current reproduction condition is not the real timereproduction condition, the setting of the decoded data switching part106 is already set to the setting of the utilization of the data of thedisk recording medium part 103 as the object of decoding while thesetting of the output switching part 111 is set to the setting of themeans of reproducing and outputting the video sound data read out fromthe recording medium and, therefore, the switching control part 107 doesnot control switching and the data within the disk recording medium part103 is reproduced under the current setting (Step 407).

In the case that the current reproduction condition is the real timereproduction condition, first, the switching control part 107 controlsthe switching of the setting of the output switching part 111 from thesetting of the means of outputting the inputted video sound signal inreal time without recording in the recording medium to the setting ofthe means of reproducing and of outputting the video sound data read outfrom the recording medium part and controls the setting of the decodeddata switching part 106 to the setting of the utilization of the data ofthe semiconductor recording medium part 105 (Step 403) as the object ofdecoding so that the current reproduction condition is switched to therecorded data reproduction condition (Step 402).

Next, in the semiconductor recording medium part 105, the data withinthis semiconductor recording medium part 105 is reproduced as long asreproducible data remains (Step 404, Step 406). When reproducible datano longer remains within the semiconductor recording medium part 105,the switching control part 107 next controls the switching of thesetting of the decoded data switching part 106 from the setting of theutilization of the data of the semiconductor recording medium part 105as the object of decoding to the setting of the utilization of the dataof the disk recording medium part 103 as the object of decoding so thatreproduction of data within the disk recording medium part 103 iscommenced (Step 405). After this, the operations of the above describedStep 407 and Step 408 are carried out.

Next, FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing processing at the time of shift ofthe reproduction condition 201 in FIG. 2 from the real time reproductioncondition to the recorded data reproduction condition occurring at thesame time as the command for the commencement of forward direction lowspeed reproduction.

In the case that the commencement of forward direction low speedreproduction, whether or not the current reproduction condition is thereal time reproduction condition is checked (Step 501). In the case thatthe current reproduction condition is not the real time reproductioncondition, the setting of the decoded data switching part 106 is alreadyset to the setting of the utilization of the data of the disk recordingmedium part 103 as the object of decoding while the setting of theoutput switching part 111 is set to the setting of the means ofreproducing and outputting the video sound data read out from therecording medium part and, therefore, the data within the disk recordingmedium part 103 is reproduced without controlling the switching by theswitching control part 107 under the current setting (Steps 508, 509).

In the case that the current reproduction condition is the real timereproduction condition, first, the recording control part 104temporarily stops writing data into the semiconductor recording mediumpart 105 (Step 502). This is to prevent data to be reproduced accordingto a low speed reproduction from being recorded over by beingoverwritten by the latest data before being reproduced since thesemiconductor recording medium part 105 normally records by overwritingaccording to the latest data at any arbitrary time.

Then, the switching control part 107 controls the switching of thesetting of the output switching part 111 from the setting to the meansof outputting the input video sound signal in real time withoutrecording on the recording medium part to the setting to the means ofreproducing and outputting the video sound data read out from therecording medium part and controls the setting of the decoded dataswitching part 106 to the setting of the utilization of the data of thesemiconductor recording medium part 105 (Step 504) as the object ofdecoding so that the condition is switched to the recorded datareproduction condition (Step 503).

Next, the data within the semiconductor recording medium part 105 isreproduced as long as the reproducible data remains within thesemiconductor recording medium part 105 (Steps 505, 507). Whenreproducible data no longer remains within the semiconductor recordingmedium part 105, the switching control part 107 next controls theswitching of the setting of the decoded data switching part 106 from thesetting of utilization of the data of the semiconductor recording mediumpart 105 as the object of decoding to the setting of utilization of thedata of the disk recording medium part 103 as the object of decoding sothat the reproduction of the data of the disk recording medium part 103commences (Steps 508, 509).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in order toreproduce the inputted analog video sound signal, means of reproducingafter recording the signal in the disk recording medium, which allowsrandom access, means of reproducing after recording the signal in thesemiconductor recording medium, which allows high speed access, andmeans of reproducing the signal without recording in the recordingmedium are prepared so that the signal is reproduced by switching thesereproduction means in accordance with the reproduction condition and,thereby, an information reception, recording and reproduction apparatuscan be implemented which allows a smooth switching of the reproductionconditions.

Embodiment 2

In the following, the second embodiment of the present invention isdescribed in reference to FIGS. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

The present Embodiment 2 relates to an information reception, recordingand reproduction apparatus of the case where a digitally coded videosound signal is used instead of the usage of an analog video soundsignal as the input video sound signal in the above described Embodiment1.

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus at the time of input of a digitally coded videosound signal according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Asshown in FIG. 6, a disk recording medium part is denoted as 601, arecording control part is denoted as 602, a semiconductor recordingmedium part is denoted as 603, a decoded data switching part is denotedas 604, a switching control part is denoted as 605, a decoding part isdenoted as 606, a DA conversion part (referred to as DAC in the figure)is denoted as 607, a user interface part is denoted as 608 and a realtime transmission path is denoted as 609.

Next, the operation of the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to the present embodiment which has theabove structure is described. An inputted digitally coded video soundsignal is sent to, and is recorded in, the disk recording medium part601 and the semiconductor recording medium part 603. At this time, datarecording in the semiconductor recording medium part 603 is a recordingin an endless manner wherein overwriting recording is carried out as thelatest data at any arbitrary time according to control by the recordingcontrol part 602.

Next, the decoded data switching part 604 is controlled by the switchingcontrol part 605 in accordance with the current reproduction conditionand in accordance with instructions such as a command by the user forchanging the reproduction condition of which notification is made by theuser interface part 608.

The switching control part 605 designates reproduction of data of thedisk recording medium part 601, reproduction of data of thesemiconductor recording medium part 603 or direct reproduction of adigitally coded video sound signal via the real time transmission path609 without utilizing data of any recording medium part. The data of thedesignated route is sent to the decoding part 606 so as to be recordedand the decoded digital data is converted to an analog signal by the DAconversion part 607 so as to outputted.

Next, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationships between thereproduction condition in the switching control part 605 and the controlcondition of the decoded switching part 604.

In FIG. 7, the reproduction condition 701 has the same content as thereproduction condition 201 in the above FIG. 2, of which the descriptionis omitted. The decoded data switching part control 702 shows thecontrol condition concerning the decoded data switching part 604occurring at the same time as the reproduction condition 701.

The control condition in the decoded data switching part control 702includes the control of the setting of the utilization of the data ofthe disk recording medium part 601 as the object of decoding, thecontrol of the setting of the utilization of the data of semiconductorrecording medium part 603 as the object of decoding, the setting of theutilization in real time of the inputted digitally coded video sounddata and the control condition switching these three settings.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing processing at the time of the shift ofthe reproduction condition from the recorded data reproduction conditionto the real time reproduction condition when the forward direction highspeed reproduction catches up with the real time reproduction in thereproduction condition 701 in FIG. 7.

First, at the time of forward direction high speed reproduction the datawithin the disk recording medium part 601 is reproduced as long asreproducible data remains within the disk recording medium part 601(Step 801, Step 803). When reproducible data no longer remains withinthe disk recording medium part 601, it is checked whether or notreproduction is carried out simultaneously with recording under thecurrent condition (Step 802). In the case of the condition whereinreproduction is not carried out simultaneously with recording, datawhich has been previously recorded and stored is reproduced andreproduction cannot be carried out continuously and, therefore, thereproduction is completed. In the case of the condition where thereproduction is carried out simultaneously with recording, it is acondition where the real time reproduction condition is caught up withby the forward direction high speed reproduction.

In the condition where the real time reproduction condition is caught upwith, first, the switching control part 605 controls the switching ofthe setting of the decoded data switching part 604 from the setting ofthe utilization of the data of the disk recording medium part 601 as theobject of decoding to the setting of the utilization of the data of thesemiconductor recording medium part 603 as the object of decoding (Step804) and the data within the semiconductor recording medium part 603 isreproduced as long as reproducible data remains within the semiconductorrecording medium part 603 (Step 805, Step 807).

When reproducible data no longer remains within the semiconductorrecording medium part 603, the switching control part 605 next controlsthe switching of the setting of the coded data switching part 604 fromthe setting of the utilization of the data of the semiconductorrecording medium part 603 as the object of decoding to the setting ofthe utilization in real time of the digitally coded video sound datainputted as the object of decoding so that the condition is switched toreal time reproduction (Step 806).

Next, FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing processing at the time of shift ofthe reproduction condition from the real time reproduction condition tothe recorded data reproduction condition occurring at the same time as acommand for commencing backward direction high speed reproduction in thereproduction condition 701 in FIG. 7.

In the case that the commencement of the backward direction high speedreproduction is indicated, it is checked whether or not the currentreproduction condition is the real time reproduction condition (Step901). In the case that the current reproduction condition is not thereal time reproduction condition, the setting of the decoded dataswitching part 604 is already set to the setting the utilization of thedata of the disk recording medium part 601 as the object of decodingand, therefore, the switching is not controlled by the switching controlpart 605 so as to reproduce the data within the disk recording mediumpart 601 under the current setting (Step 906, Step 907).

In the case that the current reproduction condition is the real timereproduction condition, first, the switching control part 605 controlsthe setting of the decoded data switching part 604 from the setting ofthe utilization in real time of the digitally coded video sound datainputted as the object of decoding to the setting of the utilization ofthe data of the semiconductor recording medium part 603 as the object ofdecoding so that the condition is switched to the recorded datareproduction condition (Step 902). The data within the semiconductorrecording medium part 603 is reproduced as long as reproducible dataremains within the semiconductor recording medium part 603 (Step 903,Step 905).

When reproducible data no longer remain within the semiconductorrecording medium part 603, the switching control part 605 next controlsthe switching of the setting of the decoded data switching part 604 fromthe setting of the utilization of the data of the semiconductorrecording medium part 603 as the object of decoding to the setting ofutilization of the data of the disk recording medium part 601 as theobject of decoding (Step 904) so that the reproduction of the datawithin the disk recording medium part 601 is commenced. After this, theoperations of the above described Step 906 and Step 907 are carried out.

Next, FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing processing at the time of theshift of the reproduction condition from the real time reproductioncondition to the recorded data reproduction condition occurring at thesame time as a command for commencing forward direction low speedreproduction in the reproduction condition 701 in FIG. 7.

In the case that the commencement of the forward direction low speedreproduction is indicated, it is checked whether or not the currentreproduction condition is the real time reproduction condition (Step1001). In the case that the current reproduction condition is not thereal time reproduction condition, the setting of the decoded dataswitching part 604 is already set to the setting of the utilization ofthe data of the disk recording medium part 601 as the object of decodingand, therefore, the data within the disk recording medium part 601 isreproduced without controlling the switching by the switching controlpart 605 under the current setting (Step 1007, Step 1008).

In the case that the current reproduction condition is the real timereproduction condition, first, the recording control part 602temporarily stops writing data into the semiconductor recording mediumpart 603 (Step 1002) This is to prevent data to be reproduced accordingto a low speed reproduction from being recorded over by beingoverwritten by the latest data before being reproduced since thesemiconductor recording medium part 603 normally records by overwritingaccording to the latest data at any arbitrary time.

Then, the switching control part 605 controls the setting of the decodeddata switching part 604 from the setting of the utilization in real timeof the digitally coded video sound data inputted as the object ofdecoding to the setting of utilization of the data of the semiconductorrecording medium part 603 as the object of decoding so that thecondition is switched to the recorded data reproduction condition (Step1003). The data within the semiconductor recording medium part 603 isreproduced as long as reproducible data remains within the semiconductorrecording medium part 603 (Step 1004, Step 1006).

When reproducible data no longer remains within the semiconductorrecording medium part 603, the switching control part 605 next controlsthe setting of the decoded data switching part 604 from the setting ofthe utilization of the data of the semiconductor recording medium part603 as the object of decoding to the setting of utilization of the dataof the disk recording medium part 601 as the object of decoding (Step1005) so as to commence the reproduction of the data within the diskrecording medium part.

As described above according to the present embodiment, in order toreproduce the inputted and digitally coded video sound signal, means ofreproducing the signal after recording the signal in the disk recordingmedium, which allows random access and means of reproducing the signalwithout recording on the recording medium are prepared so that thesignal is reproduced by switching these reproduction means in accordancewith the reproduction condition and, thereby, an information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus can be implemented which allows asmooth switching of the reproduction conditions.

Embodiment 3

In the following, Embodiment 3 of the present invention is described inreference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 11.

The present Embodiment 3 relates to an information reception, recordingand reproduction apparatus wherein the semiconductor recording mediumpart is efficiently utilized by comprising a means of sampling datautilized only at the time of special reproduction when data is recordedin the semiconductor recording medium part in the above Embodiment 1where the means samples and records the digitally coded data after beingcoded.

The structure and the operation of the information reception, recordingand reproduction apparatus at the time of the analog video sound signalinput according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention in reference toFIG. 1 are the same as the above Embodiment 1, of which the overlappeddescriptions are omitted. Here, the sampling means of sampling the datautilized at the time of specific reproduction is provided within thesemiconductor recording medium part 603.

In addition, the structures and the operations with respect to thereproduction condition of the present embodiment and the controlcondition of the decoded data switching part 106 and the outputswitching part 111 in reference to FIG. 2 are the same as in the aboveEmbodiment 1, of which the overlapped descriptions are omitted.

Next, FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the relationships between the currentreproduction condition and the video sound data sampled in the recordingcontrol part 104.

In FIG. 11, the reproduction condition 1101 shows the currentreproduction condition. In reference to FIG. 2, data of thesemiconductor recording medium part 105 is utilized at the time of thecommencement of the backward direction high speed reproduction and atthe time of the commencement of the forward direction low speedreproduction when the current condition shifts from the real timereproduction condition to another reproduction condition. Accordingly,when the reproduction condition 1101 is the real time reproductioncondition it is necessary to record data in the semiconductor recordingmedium part 105 in preparation for the commencement of the backwarddirection high speed reproduction and the commencement of the forwarddirection low speed reproduction and therefore, the sampled video sounddata 1102 becomes the setting for sampling all the video data.

Though intermittent video data does not have any problems in the case ofthe backward direction high speed reproduction, in the case of theforward direction low speed reproduction all the video data is necessaryand, since it is not clear whether the backward direction high speedreproduction or the forward direction low speed reproduction isdesignated, it is necessary to make a setting for sampling the videodata. In addition, sound is not, in general, outputted in the backwarddirection high speed reproduction or in the forward direction low speedreproduction and, therefore, sound data is not recorded.

In addition, in reference to FIG. 2, when the current condition shiftsfrom the recording reproduction condition to the real time reproductioncondition, the case that the data of the semiconductor recording mediumpart 105 is utilized is when the real time reproduction is caught upwith at the time of forward direction high speed reproduction.Accordingly, when the reproduction condition 1101 is in the forwarddirection high speed reproduction condition it is necessary to recorddata in the semiconductor recording medium part 105 in preparation forthe shift to the real time reproduction condition arid, therefore, thesampled video sound data 1102 is set so as to sample video data, whichis sampled intermittently in, for example, frame units, and sound data.

Here, since the intervals video data utilized for reproduction varydepending on the reproduction speed of the forward direction high speedreproduction, in the case that the reproduction speed of the forwarddirection high speed reproduction is m (m is a high speed reproductionof which the speed is faster than n) in the reproduction condition 1101,the sampled video sound data 1102 becomes the video data sampled withlarge time intervals while in the case that the reproduction speed ofthe forward direction high speed reproduction is n (n is a high speedreproduction of which speed is slower than m) in the reproductioncondition 1101, the sampled video sound data 1102 becomes video datasampled at short time intervals.

In addition, since the forward direction high speed reproduction ofwhich the speed is slow in some cases outputs sound intermittently, thesampled video sound data 1102 may be video data and sound data sampledat short time intervals in the case that the reproduction speed of theforward direction high speed reproduction is n (n is a high speedreproduction of which the speed is slower than m) in the reproductioncondition 1101.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, an informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus can be implementedwherein the semiconductor recording medium is efficiently utilized byproviding a means of sampling only data utilized at the time of specificreproduction within the semiconductor recording medium part at the timewhen data is recorded in the semiconductor recording medium part, wherethe means samples and records the digitally coded data after beingcoded.

Here, by sampling digital data after being coded, there is an advantagethat the apparatus can be utilized at the reproduction conditionswitching time for a long period of time. In addition, by changingsampled data according to the current reproduction condition aninformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus can beimplemented wherein the semiconductor recording medium can be moreefficiently utilized.

Embodiment 4

In the following, Embodiment 4 of the present embodiment is described inreference to FIGS. 11, 12 and 13.

The present Embodiment 4 relates to an information reception, recordingand reproduction apparatus wherein a semiconductor recording medium isefficiently utilized by providing a means of sampling data only utilizedat the time of specific reproduction when data is recorded in thesemiconductor recording medium in the above described Embodiment 1 wherethe means samples and records the digital data before being coded.

FIG. 12 shows a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to one embodiment of the presentinvention which provides a means of sampling data only utilized at thetime of specific reproduction within the semiconductor recording mediumpart at the time when digital data is recorded in the semiconductorrecording medium at the time of the analog video sound signal inputwhere the means is a means of sampling digital data before being coded.As shown in FIG. 12, an AD conversion part (referred to as ADC in thefigure) is denoted as 1201, a coding part is denoted as 1202, a diskrecording medium part is denoted as 1203, a decoding part is denoted as1204, a recording control part is denoted as 1205, a semiconductorrecording medium part is denoted as 1206, an output data switching partis denoted as 1207, a DA conversion part (referred to as DAC in thefigure) is denoted as 1208, a switching control part is denoted as 1209,a user interface part is denoted as 1210, an output switching part isdenoted as 1211 and a real time transmission path is denoted 1212. Here,the sampling means of sampling data utilized at the time of the specificreproduction is provided within the semiconductor recording medium part1206.

The operation of the information reception, recording and reproductionapparatus according to the present embodiment which has the abovedescribed structure is described as follows. An inputted analog videosound signal is converted to a digital video sound data by the ADconversion part 1201. The digitalized video sound data is coded by thecoding part 1202 and the coded data is recorded in the disk recordingmedium part 1203. In addition, the video sound data digitalized in theAD conversion part 1201 is extracted by the recording control part 1205as the video sound data in accordance with the current reproductioncondition so as to be recorded in the semiconductor recording mediumpart 1206. At this time, the data recording to the semiconductorrecording medium part 1206 is a recording in an endless manner whereinoverwriting recording is carried out as the latest data at any arbitrarytime according to control by the recording control part 1205.

Next, the output digital data switching part 1207 and the outputswitching part 1211 are controlled by the switching control part 1209 inaccordance with the current reproduction condition and the indicationsuch as a command for changing the reproduction condition from the userof which notification is made by the user interface part 1210.

In the case that the data of the disk recording medium part 1203 isdesignated to be reproduced in the switching control part 1209, thecoded data read out from the disk recording medium part 1203 is sent tothe decoding part 1204 so as to be decoded and the decoded digital datais converted into analog data by the DA conversion part 1208 so as to beoutputted.

In the case that the data of the semiconductor recording medium part1206 is designated to be reproduced in the switching control part 1209,the digital data read out from the semiconductor recording medium part1206 is converted into analog data in the DA conversion part 1208 so asto be outputted. In addition, in the case that the analog video soundsignal is designated to be outputted in real time in the switchingcontrol part 1209, the inputted analog video sound signal is outputtedwithout change via the real time transmission path 1212.

Next, FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the relationships between the currentreproduction condition and the video sound data in the recording controlpart 1205 which becomes the object of sampling and the contents thereofare the same in the above described Embodiment 3, of which thedescriptions are omitted.

Next, FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the relationships between thereproduction condition in the switching control part 1209 and thecontrol conditions of the output digital data switching part 1207 andthe output switching part 1211. Here, in FIG. 13 the contents of thereproduction condition 1301 and the output switching part control 1303are the same as the reproduction condition 201 and the output switchingpart control 203 of FIG. 2 in the above described Embodiment 1, of whichthe descriptions are omitted.

The output digital data switching part control 1302 shows the controlcondition of the output digital data switching part 1207 occurring atthe same time as the reproduction condition 1301. The control conditionsin the output digital data switching part control 1302 are a controlcondition of the setting for utilizing the digital data of thesemiconductor recording medium part 1206 which is not coded, a controlcondition of the setting for utilizing digital data after decoding thedigitally coded data of the disk recording medium part 1203 and acontrol condition of switching these two settings.

In such a structure, an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus can be implemented wherein the semiconductorrecording medium is efficiently utilized by providing a means ofsampling only the data utilized at the time of specific reproductionwhen data is recorded in the semiconductor recording medium within thesemiconductor recording medium part wherein the means samples andrecords the digital data before being coded.

Here, there is an advantage that video sound data that is closer to thereal time reproduction can be utilized at the time of reproductioncondition switching by sampling digital data before being coded. Inaddition, by changing the sampled data according to the currentreproduction condition, an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus can be implemented wherein the semiconductorrecording medium is more efficiently utilized.

Embodiment 5

In the following, the ninth and the tenth embodiments of the presentinvention are described in reference to FIGS. 11, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18.

The present Embodiment 5 relates to an information reception, recordingand reproduction apparatus wherein the semiconductor recording medium isefficiently utilized by providing a means of sampling only the datautilized at the time of special reproduction when data is recorded inthe semiconductor recording medium in the above described Embodiment 1,where the means works as both the means of sampling digitally coded dataafter being coded and the means of sampling digital data before beingcoded and by recording the sampled data.

FIG. 14 shows a block diagram of an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to one embodiment of the presentinvention which provides a means of sampling only the data utilized atthe time of specific reproduction when digital data is recorded in thesemiconductor decoding medium part 1405 at the time of analog videosound signal input within the semiconductor recording medium part,wherein the means works both the means of sampling digitally coded dataafter being coded and the means of sampling digital data before beingcoded. As shown in FIG. 14, an AD conversion part (referred to as ADC inthe figure) is denoted as 1401, a coding part is denoted as 1402, a diskrecording medium part is denoted as 1403, a recording control part isdenoted as 1404, a semiconductor recording medium part is denoted as1405, a decoded data switching part is denoted as 1406, a decoding partis denoted as 1407, an output digital data switching part is denoted as1408, a DA conversion apart (referred to as DAC in the figure) isdenoted as 1409, a user interface part is denoted as 1410, a switchingcontrol part is denoted as 1411, an output switching part is denoted as1412 and a real time transmission path is denoted as 1413. Here, thesampling means of sampling the data utilized at the time of specificreproduction is provided within the semiconductor recording medium part1405.

The operation of the information reception, recording and reproductionapparatus according to the present embodiment which has the abovestructure is next described. In FIG. 14, an inputted analog video soundsignal is converted into digital video sound data in the AD conversionpart 1401. The digitalized video sound data is coded in the coding part1402 and the coded data is recorded in the disk recording medium part1403 and, at the same time, video sound data according to the currentreproduction condition is sampled from the above coded data by therecording control part 1404 so as to be recorded in the semiconductorrecording medium part 1405.

In addition, the video sound data according to the current reproductioncondition is sampled from the video sound data digitalized in the ADconversion part 1401 by the recording control part 1404 so as to berecorded in the semiconductor recording medium part 1405.

Here, in the above described operation, the data recording to thesemiconductor recording medium part 1405 is a recording in an endlessmanner wherein overwriting recording is carried out to the latest dataat any arbitrary time according to control by the recording control part1404.

Next, the decoded data switching part 1406, the output digital dataswitching part 140B and the output switching part 1412 are controlled bythe switching control part 1411 in accordance with the reproductioncondition of the current analog video sound signal and an instructionsuch as a command for changing the reproduction condition from the userof which notification is made by the user interface part 1410.

In the case that the data of the disk recording medium part 1403 isdesignated to be reproduced by the switching control part 1411, thecoded data read out from the disk recording medium part 1403 is decodedin the decoding part 1407 and in addition the decoded digital data isconverted into analog data by the DA conversion part 1409 so as to beoutputted as an analog video sound signal.

In the case that the data of the semiconductor recording medium part1405 is designated to be reproduced by the switching control part 1411,the data within the semiconductor recording medium part 1405 is read outin accordance with the current reproduction condition. At this time inthe case that the data read out from the semiconductor recording mediumpart 1405 is digitally coded data which is coded, the data is sent tothe decoding part 1407 so as to be decoded and the decoded digital datais converted to analog data by the DA conversion part 1409 so as to beoutputted. In addition, in the case that the data read out from thesemiconductor recording medium part 1405 is digital data which is notcoded, the read out digital data is converted into analog data by the DAconversion part 1409 so as to be outputted.

On the other hand, in the case that an analog video sound signal isdesignated to be outputted in real time in the switching control part1411, the inputted analog video sound signal is outputted without changevia the real time transmission path 1413.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the relationships between the currentreproduction condition and the video sound data sampled in the recordingcontrol part 1404 and the contents thereof are the same as in the abovedescribed Embodiment 3, of which the descriptions are omitted.

Next, FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the relationships between thereproduction condition and the control conditions of the decoded dataswitching part 1406, the output digital data switching part 1408 and theoutput switching part 1412.

In FIG. 15, the contents of the reproduction condition 1501, the decodeddata switching part control 1502 and the output switching part control1504 are the same as of the reproduction condition 201, the decoded dataswitching part control 202 and the output switching part control 203 ofFIG. 2 in the above described Embodiment 1, of which the descriptionsare omitted. The output digital data switching part control 1503 shows acontrol condition of the output digital data switching part 1408occurring at the same time as the reproduction condition 1501.

The control conditions of the output digital data switching part control1503 are a control condition of the setting for utilizing the digitaldata of the semiconductor recording medium part 1405 which is not coded,a control condition of the setting for utilizing the digital data afterdecoding the digitally coded data of the disk recording medium part 1403or the semiconductor recording medium part 1405 and a control conditionof switching these two settings.

Next, FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing processing at the time of shift ofthe reproduction condition from the recorded data reproduction conditionwhere the real time reproduction is caught up with at the time of theforward direction high speed reproduction in the reproduction condition1501 in FIG. 15 to the real time reproduction condition.

First, the forward direction high speed reproduction reproduces datawithin the disk recording medium part 1403 as long as reproducible dataremains within the disk recording medium part 1403 (Step 1601, Step1603). When reproducible data no longer remains within the diskrecording medium part 1403, it is checked whether or not reproduction iscarried out simultaneously with recording under the current condition(Step 1602). In the case of the condition where reproduction is notcarried out simultaneously with recording, the data recorded and storedpreviously is reproduced and the continuous reproduction cannot becarried out and, therefore, the reproduction is completed.

In the case of the condition where reproduction is carried outsimultaneously with recording, it is the condition where the real timereproduction is caught up with by the forward direction high speedreproduction. First, the switching control part 1411 controls theswitching of the setting of the decoded data switching part 1406 fromthe setting of the utilization of the data of the disk recording mediumpart 1403 as the object of decoding to the setting of the utilization ofthe data of the semiconductor recording medium part 1405 as the objectof decoding (Step 1604) and the digitally coded data within thesemiconductor recording medium part 1405 is reproduced as long asreproducible digitally coded data remains within the semiconductorrecording medium part 1405 (Step 1605, Step 1607).

When reproducible digitally coded data no longer remains within thesemiconductor recording medium part 1405, the switching control part1411 next controls so as to switch the setting of the output digitaldata switching part 1408 to the setting for the utilization of thedigital data of the semiconductor recording medium part 1405, which isnot coded, (Step 1606) and the digital data, which is not coded, withinthe semiconductor recording medium part 1405 is reproduced as long asreproducible digital data which is not coded remains within thesemiconductor recording medium part 1405 (Step 1608, Step 1610).

When reproducible digital data, which is not coded, no longer remainswithin the semiconductor recording medium part 1405, the switchingcontrol part 1411 controls the setting of the output switching part 1412so as to be switched from the setting of the means of reproducing and ofoutputting the video sound data read out from the recording medium tothe setting of the means of outputting the inputted video sound signalin real time without recording in the recording medium so as to switchto the real time reproduction (Step 1609).

Next, FIG. 17 is a flow chart showing processing at the time of theshift of the reproduction condition from the real time reproductioncondition according to a command for commencing the backward directionhigh speed reproduction to the recorded data reproduction condition inthe reproduction condition 1501 of FIG. 15.

In the case that the commencement of the backward direction high spedreproduction is indicated, it is checked whether or not the currentreproduction condition is a real time reproduction condition (Step1701). In the case that the current reproduction condition is not thereal time reproduction condition, the setting of the decoded dataswitching part 1406 is already switched to the setting of theutilization of the data of the disk recording medium part 1403 as theobject of decoding, the setting of the output digital data switchingpart 1408 is already switched to the setting of the utilization of thedigital data gained by decoding the digitally coded data of thesemiconductor recording medium part 1405 or of the disk recording mediumpart 1403, and the setting of the output switching part 1412 is alreadyswitched to the setting of the means of reproducing and of outputtingthe video sound data read out from the recording medium, respectively,and therefore, the data within the disk recording medium part 1403 isreproduced under the current setting without carrying out the switchingcontrol by the switching control part 1411 (Step 1711, Step 1712).

In the case that the current reproduction condition is the real timereproduction condition, first the switching control part 1411 controlsthe setting of the output switching part 1412 so as to be switched fromthe setting of the means of outputting the inputted video sound signalin real time without recording in the recording medium part to thesetting of the means of reproducing and of outputting the video sounddata read out from the recording medium part (Step 1703) and the settingof the output digital data switching part 1408 is controlled andswitched to the setting of the utilization of the digital data, which isnot coded, of the semiconductor recording medium part 1405 so as to beswitched to the recorded data reproduction condition (same Step 1703)and, then, the digital data which is not coded within the semiconductorrecording medium part 1405 is reproduced as long as reproducible digitaldata which is not coded remains within the semiconductor recordingmedium part 1405 (Step 1704, Step 1706).

Next, when reproducible digital data which is not coded no longerremains within the semiconductor recording medium part 1405, theswitching control part 1411 controls the setting of the output digitaldata switching part 1408 so as to be switched to the setting of theutilization of the digital data gained by decoding the digitally codeddata of the semiconductor recording medium part 1405 or of the diskrecording medium part 1403 (Step 1705) and the setting of the decodeddata switching part 1406 is controlled and switched to the setting ofthe utilization of the data of the semiconductor recording medium part1405 (Step 1707) as the object of decoding and, then, the data withinthe semiconductor recording medium part 1405 is reproduced as long asreproducible digitally coded data remains within the semiconductorrecording medium part 1405 (Step 1708, Step 1710).

When reproducible digitally coded data no longer remains within thesemiconductor recording medium part 1405, the switching control part1411 next controls the setting of the decoded data switching part 1406so as to be switched from the setting of the utilization of the data ofthe semiconductor recording medium part 1405 as the object of recordingto the setting of the utilization of the data of the disk recordingmedium part 1403 as the object of decoding (Step 1709) and, then, thereproduction of the data within the disk recording medium part 1403 iscommenced (Step 1711, Step 1712).

Next, FIG. 18 is a flow chart showing processing at the time of theshift of the reproduction condition from the real time reproductioncondition according to a command for commencing the forward directionlow speed reproduction to the recorded data reproduction condition inthe reproduction condition 1501 of FIG. 15.

In the case that the commencement of the forward direction low speedreproduction is indicated, it is checked whether or not the currentreproduction condition is the real time reproduction condition (Step1801). In the case that the current reproduction condition is not thereal time reproduction condition, the setting of the decoded dataswitching part 1406 is already switched to the setting of theutilization of the data of the disk recording medium part 1403 as theobject of decoding, the setting of the output digital data switchingpart 1408 is already switched to the setting of the utilization byswitching the digitally coded data of the semiconductor recording mediumpart 1405 or of the disk recording medium part 1403 to the digital dataafter being decoded and the setting of the output switching part 1412 isswitched to the setting of the means of reproducing and of outputtingthe video sound data read out from the recording medium and, therefore,the data within the disk recording medium part 1403 is reproduced underthe current setting without carrying out the switching control by theswitching control part 1411 (Step 1812, Step 1813).

In the case that the current reproduction condition is the real timereproduction condition, first the recording control part 1404 temporallystops the data writing to the semiconductor recording medium part 1405(Step 1802). This is to prevent the data which should be reproduced frombeing over written and recorded to the latest data before beingreproduced due to a low speed reproduction since the semiconductorrecording medium part 1405 is normally overwritten to record the latestdata at any arbitrary time.

The switching control part 1411 controls the setting of the outputswitching part 1412 so as to be switched from the setting of the meansof outputting the inputted video sound signal in real time withoutrecording in the recording medium to the setting of the means ofreproducing and of outputting the video sound data read out from therecording medium (Step 1803) and the setting of the output digital dataswitching part 1408 is controlled and is switched to the setting of theutilization of the digital data, which is not coded, of thesemiconductor recording medium part 1405 so as to be switched to therecording data reproduction condition (Step 1804) and the digital datawhich is not coded within the semiconductor recording medium part 1405is reproduced as long as reproducible digital data which is not codedremains within the semiconductor recording medium part 1405 (Step 1805,Step 1807).

Next, when reproducible digital data which is not coded no longerremains within the semiconductor recording medium part 1405, theswitching control part 1411 controls so as to switch the setting of theoutput digital data switching part 1408 to the setting of theutilization of the digital data gained by decoding digitally coded dataof the semiconductor recording medium part 1405 or of the disk recordingmedium part 1403 (Step 1806) and the setting of the decoded dataswitching part 1406 is controlled and is switched to the setting of theutilization of the data of the semiconductor recording medium part 1405as the object of decoding (Step 1808) and then the data within thesemiconductor recording medium part 1405 is reproduced as long asreproducible digitally coded data remains within the semiconductorrecording medium part 1405 (Step 1809, Step 1811).

When reproducible digitally coded data no longer remains within thesemiconductor recording medium part 1405, the switching control part1411 next controls the setting of the decoded data switching part 1406so as to be switched from the setting of the utilization of the data ofthe semiconductor recording medium part 1405 as the object of decodingto the setting of the utilization of the data of the disk recordingmedium part 1403 as the object of decoding (Step 1810) and thereproduction of the data within the disk recording medium part 1403 iscommenced (Step 1812, Step 1813).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, an informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus can be implementedwherein a means of sampling only the data utilized at the time ofspecific reproduction when data is recorded in the semiconductorrecording medium is provided within the semiconductor recording mediumpart where the means is both the means of sampling digitally coded dataafter being coded and the means of sampling the digital data beforebeing coded so that the semiconductor recording medium can beefficiently utilized by recording the sampled data.

Here, the information reception, recording and reproduction apparatuscan be implemented wherein smoother switching of the reproductionconditions is possible by having two advantages such that, by samplingthe digital data before being coded, the video sound data, which iscloser to the real time reproduction, can be utilized at the time of theswitching of the reproduction conditions and, by sampling the digitaldata after being coded, the video sound data for a long period of timecan be utilized at the time of the switching of the reproductionconditions and by utilizing data so as to make the best use of both ofthese characteristics depending on the reproduction condition.

In addition, an information reception recording, reproduction apparatuscan be implemented wherein the semiconductor recording medium is moreefficiently utilized by varying the sampled data according to thecurrent reproduction condition.

As described above, according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention,in an information reception, recording and reproduction apparatuswherein at least one of digital video or digital sound is recorded in orreproduced from a disk recording medium which allows random access, anadvantageous effect is gained that reproduction conditions can besmoothly switched by preparing a means of reproducing the inputtedanalog video sound signal or digital video sound signal after recordingthe signal in the disk recording medium which allows random access, ameans of reproducing the signal from the semiconductor recording mediumwhich allows high speed access and a means of reproducing the signalwithout recording in the recording medium and by reproducing the signalby switching these reproduction means according to the reproductioncondition.

In addition, according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, in aninformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus wherein atleast one of digital video or digital sound is recorded in andreproduced from the above described disk recording medium which allowsrandom access, an advantageous effect is gained that the semiconductorrecording medium can be efficiently utilized by providing a means ofsampling only the digital data utilized at the time of specificreproduction according to the current reproduction condition as themeans of recording digital data in the above described semiconductorrecording medium and by recording only the digital data utilized at thetime of special reproduction in the above described semiconductorrecording medium.

In addition, according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, in aninformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus wherein atleast one of digital video or digital sound is recorded in andreproduced from the above described disk recording medium which allowsrandom access, the means of sampling only the data utilized at the timeof specific reproduction is the means of sampling digitally coded dataafter being coded and, therefore, an advantageous effect is gained thatthe semiconductor recording medium can be more efficiently utilized.

In addition, according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention, in aninformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus wherein atleast one of digital video or digital sound is recorded in andreproduced from the above described disk recording medium which allowsrandom access, the means of sampling only the data utilized at the timeof specific reproduction is a means of sampling the digital data beforebeing coded and therefore, an advantageous effect is gained that thevideo sound data closer to the real time reproduction can be utilized atthe time of the switching of the reproduction conditions.

In addition, according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention, in aninformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus wherein atleast one of digital video or digital sound is recorded in andreproduced from the above described disk recording medium which allowsrandom access, an advantageous effect is gained that the reproductionconditions can be switched more smoothly by having a function ofchanging the order of data utilized for reproducing the digital data,which is not coded, recorded within the semiconductor recording mediumpart and digitally coded data after being coded depending on the currentreproduction condition and by utilizing the data so as to make the bestuse of the characteristics of both the digital data which is not codedand the digitally coded data after being coded depending on thereproduction condition.

Here, in each of the above described embodiments, the disk mediumrecording parts 103, 601, 1203 and 1403 correspond to the firstrecording means of the present invention, the recording control part104, 602, 1205 and 1404 as well as the semiconductor recording mediumparts 105, 603, 1206 and 1405 correspond to the second recording meansof the present invention, the decoded data switching parts 106, 604,1406, the switching control parts 107, 605, 1209, 1411, the userinterface parts 110, 608, 1210, 1410, the output digital data switchingpart 1207, 1408 and the output conversion parts 111, 1211 and 1412correspond to the switching means of the present invention, the ADCs101, 1201, 1401 and the coding parts 102, 1202 and 1402 correspond tothe first coding means of the present invention, the decoding parts 108,1204, 1407 and the DACs 109, 1208 and 1409 correspond to the firstdecoding means of the present invention and the real time transmissionpaths 112, 609, 1212 and 1413 correspond to the real time transmissionmeans of the present invention while the decoding part 606 and the DAC607 in Embodiment 2 correspond to the second decoding means of thepresent invention.

Embodiment 6

First, the structure and the operation of an information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus according to the present Embodiment6 are described primarily in reference to FIG. 19. Here, at the sametime as describing the structure and preparation of the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus of the presentembodiment, one embodiment of an information reception, recording andreproduction method of the present invention is also described.

First, in reference to FIG. 19, the structure of the informationreception recording and reproduction apparatus to which analog videosound data is inputted according to the present embodiment is described.Here, FIG. 19 shows a block diagram of the information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus of the present embodiment.

As described in the below, the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to the present Embodiment 6 isdifferent from a conventional information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus and is an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus wherein the video data for carrying out a scenechange is detected by a scene change detection part 1903 from among theinputted video sound data and the output of the outputted video sounddata can be switched by the output switching part 1911 which receivesthe control of the switching control part 1908.

The information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus of thepresent embodiment is formed of an AD conversion part (referred to asADC in the figure) 1901 for digitally converting an inputted analogvideo sound data, a frame memory 1910 for temporally storing digitalizedvideo sound data, a coding part 1902 for coding digital video sounddata, a scene change detection part 1903 for reading out informationrelated to images before and after the scene included in the codeddigital video data and for detecting in the coded digital video data theposition where the scene switches, a time stamp sampling part 1904 forextracting a time stamp from coded digital video sound data, a diskrecording medium part 1905 which allows random access, a time stampanalysis part 1906 for extracting a time stamp from coded digital videosound data and for analyzing the time stamp, a decoding part 1907 fordecoding coded digital video sound data, an output switching part 1911for switching digital video sound data outputted without being recordedin the disk recording medium part 1905 and digital video sound datarecorded in the disk recording medium part 1905, a switching controlpart 1903 for controlling this output switching part 1911, a userinterface part 1909 for making a notification of a command from the userto the switching controlling part 1908 and a DA conversion part(hereinafter referred to as DAC) 1912 for converting digital video sounddata to analog video sound data.

The switching control part 1908 is a means which recognizes that a scenechange has occurred in the inputted video data from the output of thescene change detection part 1903 and which gains a time stamp relativeto the coded digital video sound data, where scene change is carriedout, from the time stamp sampling part 1904. In addition, the switchingcontrol part 1908 is a means of gaining a time stamp relative to thecoded digital video sound data, which is reproduced after being recordedin the disk recording medium part 1905, from the time stamp analysispart 1906. The switching control part 1908 is a means of receiving theoutputs from the scene change detection part 1903, the time stampsampling part 1904 and the time stamp analysis part 1906 and ofcontrolling the output switching part 1911 which switches the digitalvideo sound data outputted without being recorded in the disk recordingmedium part 1905 and the digital video sound data which is reproducedafter being recorded in the disk recording medium part 1905.

Here, the means which includes the user interface 1909 corresponds tothe selection means of the present invention, the means which includesthe disk recording medium part 1905 corresponds to the recording andreproduction means of the present invention, the means which includesthe output switching part 1911 corresponds to the output switching meansof the present invention, the means which includes the scene changedetection part 1903 corresponds to the detection means of the presentinvention, the means which includes the switching control part 1908corresponds to the switching control means of the present invention, themeans which includes the time stamp sampling part 1904 corresponds tothe time information sampling means of the present invention and themeans which includes the time stamp analysis part 1906 corresponds tothe switching position specification means of the present invention.

Next, in reference to FIGS. 19 and 21, the operation of the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus according to the presentembodiment is described in the case that the switching of the inputtedvideo sound data has occurred. Here, FIG. 21 is a flow chart showing aswitching process of the outputted video sound data according to theoutput from the scene change detection part 1903 (see FIG. 19).

In the information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus ofFIG. 19, in the case of normal viewing and listening, the inputtedanalog video sound data is coded by the coding part 1902 after beingdigitalized by the AD conversion part 1901. The coded digital videosound data passes through the scene change detection part 1903 and thetime stamp sampling part 1904 and is recorded in the disk recordingmedium part 1905. The coded digital video sound data recorded in thedisk recording medium part 1905 passes through the time stamp analysispart 1906 and is decoded to the digital video sound data by the decodingpart 1907 and, after that, passes through the output switching part 1911and the DA conversion part 1912 so as to be outputted as analog videosound. The user usually reproduces the video sound data recorded in thedisk recording medium part 1905 in the above manner (accordingly it ispossible to smoothly carry out switching from normal reproduction tospecific reproduction or switching from specific reproduction to normalreproduction).

Here, at the time when the inputted video sound data is switched by theuser (for example, when the inputted video sound data is a TV broadcastprogram and the user carries out channel switching of the TV broadcastprogram which the user was watching to another channel), the userinterface part 1909 makes notification of the switching of the inputtedvideo sound data to the switching control part 1908 (SA).

The switching control part 1908 receives the output from the userinterface part 1909 and controls the output switching part 1911 so thatthe video sound data recorded in the disk recording medium part 1905 isoutputted without being recorded in the disk recording medium part 1905and the output switching part 1911 switches the output from the videosound data recorded in the disk recording medium part 1905 to theinputted video sound data temporarily stored in the frame memory 1910after being digitalized in the AD conversion part 1901 so as to outputthe inputted digital video sound data to the DA conversion part 1912(SA).

In addition, the inputted video sound data is outputted to the outsideof the apparatus after passing through the frame memory 1910, the outputswitching part 1911 and the DA conversion part 1912 and, at the sametime, is continuously coded by the coding part 1902, passes through thescene change detection part 1903 as well as the time stamp sampling part1904 and is recorded in the disk recording medium part 1905 and, afterthat, passes through the time stamp analysis part 1906 and the decodingpart 1907 and, then, is outputted to the output switching part 1911(therefore, specific reproduction such as a fast forward reproduction orfast reverse reproduction can be coped with).

Then, when the scene change detection part 1903 detects a scene changein the coded digital video data (S3A), the switching control part 1908controls the frame memory 1910 so as to implement a conversion to thestill video condition immediately after the scene change and convertsthe video data outputted after passing through the output switching part1911 and the DA conversion part 1912 into the still image conditionimmediately after the scene change and, at the same time, the time stampof the coded digital video data from which the scene change has occurredis recognized by the time stamp sampling part 1904 (S4A). Here, theframe memory 1910 rejects the overwriting of the data from the ADconversion part 1901 at the point in time when it is controlled so as tobe converted to the still video condition immediately after the scenechange.

The time stamp analysis part 1906 monitors the time stamp of the codeddigital video data outputted from the disk recording part 1905 anddetermines whether or not the coded digital video data detected by thescene change detection part 1903 is outputted from the disk recordingmedium part 1905 after being recorded in the disk recording medium part1905 based on the time stamp gained from the time stamp sampling part1904.

When the time stamp analysis part 1906 senses that the coded digitalvideo data detected by the scene change detection part 1903 has beenoutputted from the disk recording medium part 1905 (S5A), the switchingcontrol part 1908 switches the digital video sound data outputted fromthe output switching part 1911 from the output digital video sound dataof the frame memory 1910 to the output digital video sound data of thedecoding part 1907. Here, until the time stamp gained from the timestamp analysis part 1906 agrees with the time stamp recognized by thetime stamp sampling part 1904, the real time reproduction still imageoutput immediately after the scene change detection from the framememory 1910 is maintained (S6A)

As described above, the inputted video sound data and the video sounddata which is reproduced after being recorded in the recording mediumare switched and outputted in accordance with the scene change detectionof the inputted video data at the time when the inputted video sounddata is switched and, thereby, an information reception, recording andreproduction method can be implemented wherein a smooth switching of theoutputted video sound data is possible, by freezing the imageimmediately after the scene change, between the inputted video sounddata and the video sound data which is reproduced after being recordedin the recording medium, so as not to give the user an unnatural feelingdue to the above time lag.

Embodiment 7

Next, the structure and the operation of an information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus according to the present Embodiment7 is described primarily in reference to FIG. 20. Here, the structureand the operation of the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus of the present embodiment is described and, atthe same time, one embodiment of an information reception, recording andreproduction method of the present invention is described.

First, in reference to FIG. 20, the structure of the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus of the presentembodiment is described. Here, FIG. 20 shows a block diagram of theinformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus.

As described in the following, coded digital video sound data, insteadof analog video sound data, is inputted into the information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus according to the presentembodiment, which is an information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus wherein video data where a scene change iscarried out is detected by a scene change detection part 2001 from theinputted video sound data and the outputs of the outputted video sounddata are switched by an output switching part 2007 which receives thecontrol of a switching control part 2006 in the same manner as in theinformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus according tothe present Embodiment 1.

The information reception, recording and reproduction apparatusaccording to the present embodiment is formed, as shown in FIG. 20, of ascene change detection part 2001 which reads out information related tothe video before and after the image included in the inputted codeddigital video data and which detects the position, from the codeddigital video data, where a scene is switched, a time stamp samplingpart 2002 which extracts out a time stamp from the coded digital videosound data, a disk recording medium part 2003 which allows randomaccess, a time stamp analysis part 2004 for extracting and analyzing atime stamp from the coded digital video sound data, a decoding part 2008for decoding the coded digital video sound data, an output switchingpart 2007 for switching the video sound data which is outputted withoutbeing recorded in the disk recording medium part 2003 and the videosound data which is recorded in the disk recording medium part 2003, aswitching control part 2006 for controlling this output switching part2007, a user interface part 2005 for making a notification of a commandfrom the user to the switching control part 2006 and a DA conversionpart (referred to as DAC in the figure) 2009 for converting the digitalvideo sound data into analog video sound data.

The switching control part 2006 is a means which recognizes that a scenechange has occurred in respect to the inputted video data from theoutput of the scene change detection part 2001 and which gains a timestamp, from the time stamp sampling part 2002, in respect to the codeddigital video sound data where the scene change is carried out. Inaddition, the switching control part 2006 is a means which gains a timestamp, from the time stamp analysis part 2004, in respect to the codeddigital video sound data which is reproduced after being recorded in thedisk recording medium part 2003. The switching control part 2006 is ameans which receives the outputs from the scene change detection part2001, the time stamp sampling part 2002 and the time stamp analysis part2004 and which controls the output switching part 2007 for switching thevideo sound data which is outputted without being recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2003 and the video sound data which is reproducedafter being recorded in the disk recording medium part 2003.

Here, the means which includes the user interface part 2005 correspondsto the selection means of the present invention, the means whichincludes the disk recording medium part 2003 corresponds to therecording and reproduction means of the present invention, the meanswhich includes the output switching part 2007 corresponds to the outputswitching means of the present invention, the means which includes thescene change detection part 2001 corresponds to the detection leans ofthe present invention, the means which includes the switching controlpart 2006 corresponds to the switching control means of the presentinvention, the means which includes the time stamp sampling part 2002corresponds to the time information sampling means of the presentinvention and the means which includes the time stamp analysis part 2004corresponds to the switching position specification means of the presentinvention.

Next, the operation, in the case that the switching of the inputtedvideo sound data occurs, of the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to the present embodiment is described.

In the information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus ofFIG. 20, the inputted coded digital video sound data passes through thescene change detection part 2001 and the time stamp sampling part 2002and is recorded in the disk recording medium part 2003 in the case thatconventional viewing and listening are carried out. The coded digitalvideo sound data recorded in the disk recording medium part 2003 passesthrough the time stamp analysis part 2004 as well as the outputswitching part 2007 and, then, is decoded to digital video sound data bythe decoding part 2008 and, after that, passes through the DA conversionpart 2009 so as to outputted as analog video sound. The userconventionally reproduces video sound data recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2003 in such a manner.

Here, when the user switches the inputted video sound data, notificationof the switching of the inputted video sound data to the switchingcontrol part 2006 is made by the user interface part 2005.

The switching control part 2006 receives the output of the userinterface part 2005 and controls the output switching part 2007 so thatthe video sound data is outputted from the video sound data recorded inthe disk recording medium part 2003 without being recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2003.

The output switching part 2007 switches the output from the codeddigital video sound data recorded in the disk recording medium part 2003to the inputted coded digital video sound data so as to output the videosound data to the decoding part 2008.

In addition, the inputted coded digital video sound data passes throughthe output switching part 2007, the decoded part 2008 and the DAconversion part (DAC) 2009 so as to be outputted to the outside of theapparatus and, at the same time, continuously passes through the scenechange detection part 2001 and the time stamp sampling part 2002 so asto be recorded in the disk recording medium part 2003 and, after that,passes through the time stamp analysis part 2004 so as to be outputtedto the output switching part 2007.

Then, when the scene change detection part 2001 detects a scene changein the inputted video data, the switching control part 2006 controls thedecoding part 2008 so as to implement a conversion to the still videocondition immediately after the scene change and converts the video dataoutputted after passing through the DA conversion part 2009 into thestill image condition immediately after the scene change.

The switching control part 2006 recognizes the time stamp of theinputted coded digital video sound data wherein a scene change hasoccurred from time stamp sampling part 2002. The time stamp analysispart 2004 monitors the time stamp of the coded digital video sound dataoutputted from the disk recording part 2003 and determines whether ornot the video data detected by the scene change detection part 2001 isoutputted from the disk recording medium part 2003 after being recordedin the disk recording medium part 2003 based on the time stamp gainedfrom the time stamp sampling part 2002.

When the time stamp analysis part 2004 senses that the coded digitalvideo sound data detected by the scene change detection part 2001 hasbeen outputted from the disk recording medium part 2003, the switchingcontrol part 2006 switches the coded digital video sound data outputtedfrom the output switching part 2007 from the inputted coded digitalvideo sound data to the coded digital video sound data outputted fromthe time stamp analysis part 2004.

In addition, the switching control part 2006 directs the decoding part2008 which is outputting the still image immediately after the scenechange, to decode and output the coded digital video sound dataoutputted from the time stamp analysis part 2004.

As described above, in the case that the inputted video sound data isnot analog video sound data as described in the present Embodiment 1but, rather, is coded digital video sound data, an informationreception, recording and reproduction method can be implemented whereina smooth switching of the outputted video sound data is possible so asto reduce any unnatural feeling by the user due to a time lag betweenthe inputted video sound data and the video sound data which isreproduced after being recorded in the recorded medium by switching theinputted video sound data and the video sound data which is reproducedafter being recorded in the recording medium so as to be outputted inaccordance with the detection of a scene change of the inputted videodata at the time when the inputted video sound data is switched.

Embodiment 8

Next, the structure and the operation of an information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus according to the present Embodiment8 are described primarily in reference to FIG. 22. Here, the structureand the operation of the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus of the present embodiment is described and, atthe same time, one embodiment of the information reception, recordingand reproduction method is described.

First, in reference to FIG. 22, the structure of the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus into which analog videosound data is inputted according to the present embodiment is described.Here, FIG. 22 shows a block diagram of the information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus of the present embodiment.

As described in the following, the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to the present Embodiment 8 isdifferent from the information reception, recording and reproductionapparatus according to the prior art and is an information receptionrecording and reproduction apparatus wherein a change of the sound modeis detected by a sound mode change detection part 2203 from the inputtedsound data and the output of the outputted video sound data can beswitched by an output switching part 2211 which receives the control ofa switching control part 2208.

The information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus of thepresent embodiment is formed of an AD conversion part (referred to asADC in the figure) 2201 which digitally converts inputted analog videosound data, a frame memory 2210 for temporarily storing digitalizedvideo sound data, a coding part 2202 for coding digital video sounddata, a sound mode change detection part 2203 for reading outinformation of sound mode which is included in the coded digital videosound data and for detecting the position of a change in the sound modefrom the coded digital video soured data, a time stamp sampling part2204 for extracting a time stamp from the coded digital video sounddata, a disk recording medium part 2205 which allows random access, atime stamp analysis part 2206 for extracting a time stamp from the codeddigital video sound data so as to analyze the time stamp, a decodingpart 2207 for decoding the coded digital video sound data, an outputswitching part 2211 for switching the digital video sound data outputtedwithout being recorded in the disk recording medium part 2205 anddigital video sound data recorded in the disk recording medium part2205, a switching control part 2208 for controlling this outputswitching part 2211, a user interface part 2209 for making notificationof a command from the user to the switching control part 2208 and a DAconversion part (referred to as DAC in the figure) 2212 which convertsthe digital video sound data into analog video sound data.

The switching control part 2208 is a means of recognizing the occurrenceof a sound mode change in the inputted video sound data from the outputof the sound mode change detection part 2203 and of gaining a time stampin respect to the coded digital video sound data in which the sound modechange has occurred, from the time stamp sampling part 2204. Inaddition, the switching control part 2208 is a means of gaining a timestamp in respect to the coded digital video sound data which isreproduced after being recorded in the disk recording medium part 2205from the time stamp analysis part 2206 The switching control part 2208is a means of receiving the outputs of the sound mode change detectionpart 2203, of the time stamp sampling part 2204 and of the time stampanalysis part 2206 and of controlling the output switching part 2211 forswitching the digital video sound data outputted without being recordedin the disk recording medium part 2205 and the digital video sound datawhich is reproduced after being recorded in the disk recording mediumpart 2205.

Here, the means which includes the user interface part 2209 correspondsto the selection means of the present invention, the means whichincludes the disk recording medium part 2205 corresponds to therecording and reproduction means of the present invention, the meanswhich includes the output switching part 2211 corresponds to the outputswitching means of the present invention, the means which includes thesound mode change detection part 2203 corresponds to the detection meansof the present invention, the means which includes the switching controlpart 2208 corresponds to the switching control means of the presentinvention, the means which includes the time stamp sampling part 2204corresponds to the time information sampling means of the presentinvention and the means which includes the time stamp analysis part 2206corresponds to the switching position specification means of the presentinvention.

Next, referring primarily to FIGS. 22 and 24, the operation of theinformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus according tothe present embodiment is described in the case that switching of theinputted video sound data has occurred. Here, FIG. 24 is a flowchartshowing a switching process of the outputted video sound data by meansof the output of the sound mode change detection part 2203 (see FIG.22).

In the information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus ofFIG. 22, in the case that conventional viewing and listening are carriedout, the inputted analog video sound data is digitalized in the ADconversion part 2201 and, after that, is coded by the coding part 2202.

The coding part 2202 adds information showing, with respect to the codedsound data, which sound data has been coded, to the coded digital videosound data. Here, for example, by using the coding technology of movingpicture expert group (hereinafter also referred to as MPEG), a varietyof sound modes can be coded as shown in FIG. 25 and the coded digitalvideo sound data includes information for identifying these sound modes.

The coded digital video sound data passes through the sound mode changedetection part 2203 and the time stamp sampling part 2204 and isrecorded in the disk recording medium part 2205. The coded digital videosound data recorded in the disk recording medium part 2205 passesthrough the time stamp analysis part 2206 so as to be decoded to digitalvideo sound data by the decoding part 2207 and, after that, passesthrough the output switching part 2211 and the DA conversion part 2212so as to be outputted as analog video sound. The user usually reproducesvideo sound data recorded in the disk recording medium part 2205 in theabove manner.

Here, at the time when the user switches the inputted video sound data(for example, when the inputted video sound data is a TV broadcastprogram and the user switches the channel the user is watching toanother channel), the user interface part 2209 makes notification of theswitching of the inputted video sound data to the switching control part2208 (S1B).

The switching control part 2208 receives the output of the userinterface part 2209 and controls the output switching part 2211 so thatvideo sound data is outputted without being recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2205 instead of the video sound data recorded inthe disk recording medium part 2205 being outputted.

The output switching part 2211 switches the output from the video sounddata recorded in the disk recording medium part 2205 to the inputtedvideo sound data which is digitalized in the AD conversion part 2201 andis temporarily stored in the frame of 2210 so as to output the videosound data to the DA conversion part 2212 (S2B).

In addition, the inputted video sound data passes through the framememory 2210, the output switching part 2211 and the DA conversion part2212 so as to be outputted to the outside of the apparatus and at thesame time is continuously coded by the coding part 2202 and passesthrough the sound mode change detection part 2203 and the time stampsampling part 2204 so as to be recorded in the disk recording mediumpart 2205 and, after that, passes through the time stamp analysis part2206 and the decoding part 2207 so as to be outputted to the outputswitching part 2211.

Then, when the sound mode change detection part 2203 detects a soundmode change in the coded digital video sound data (S3B) the switchingcontrol part 2208 controls the frame memory 2210 so as to implement aconversion to the still video condition immediately after the sound modechange and converts the video data outputted after passing through theoutput switching part 2211 and the DA conversion part 2212 into thestill image condition immediately after the sound mode change and, atthe same time, the time stamp sampling part 2204 recognizes the timestamp of the coded digital video sound data in which the sound modechange has occurred (S4B).

The time stamp analysis part 2206 monitors the time stamp of the codedvideo sound data outputted from the disk recording part 2205 anddetermines whether or not the coded digital video sound data detected bythe sound mode change detection part 2203 has been outputted from thedisk recording medium part 2205 after being recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2205 based on the time stamp gained from the timestamp sampling part 2204.

When the time stamp analysis part 2206 senses that the coded digitalvideo sound data detected by the sound mode change detection part 2203is outputted from the disk recording medium part 2205 (S5B) theswitching control part 2208 switches the digital video sound dataoutputted from the output switching part 2211 from the digital videosound data outputted from the frame memory 2210 to the digital videosound data outputted from the decoding part 2207. Here, the real timereproduction still image output immediately after the sound mode changedetection from the frame memory 2210 is continued until the time stampgained from the time stamp analysis part 2206 agrees with the time stamprecognized by the time stamp sampling part 2204 (S6B).

As described above, at the time when switching of the inputted videosound data is carried out, the inputted video sound data and the videosound data which is reproduced after being recorded in the recordingmedium are switched in accordance with the sound mode change detectionof the inputted video sound data so as to be outputted and thereby aninformation reception, recording and reproduction method can beimplemented wherein any unnatural feeling given to the user due to atime lag between the inputted video sound data and the video sound datawhich is reproduced after being recorded in the recording medium isreduced and smooth switching of the outputted video sound data ispossible by freezing the video immediately after the sound mode change.

Embodiment 9

Next, the structure and the operation of an information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus according to the present Embodiment9 are described primarily in reference to FIG. 23. Here, the structureand the operation of the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus of the present embodiment are described and, atthe same time, one embodiment of an information reception, recording andreproduction method of the present invention is described.

First, in reference to FIG. 23, the structure of the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus of the presentembodiment is described. Here, FIG. 23 is a block diagram of theinformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus.

As described below, coded digital video sound data is inputted insteadof analog video sound data to the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to the present embodiment, which is aninformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus, wherein achange of the sound mode is detected by the sound mode change detectionpart 2301 from the inputted sound data and the output of the outputtedvideo sound data can be switched by the output switching part 2307,which receives the control of the switching control part 2306, in thesame manner as in the information reception, recording and reproductionapparatus according to the present Embodiment 9.

The information reception, recording and reproduction apparatusaccording to the present embodiment is formed of a sound mode changedetection part 2301 which reads out sound mode information that isincluded in the inputted coded digital video sound data and whichdetects the position of a change in the sound mode from the codeddigital video sound data, a time stamp sampling part 2302 which extractsa time stamp from the coded digital video sound data, a disk recordingmedium part 2303 which allows random access, a time stamp analysis part2304 for extracting a time stamp from coded digital video sound data soas to analyze the time stamp, a decoding part 2308 for decoding thecoded digital video sound data, an output switching part 2307 forswitching between the video sound data outputted, without being recordedin the disk recording medium part 2303, and the video sound datarecorded in the disk recording medium part 2303, a switching controlpart 2306 for controlling this output switching part 2307, a userinterface part 2305 for making notification of a command from the userto the switching control part 2306 and a DA conversion part (referred toas DAC in the figure) 2309 which converts the digital video sound datainto analog video sound data.

The switching control part 2306 is a means of recognizing that a soundmode change has occurred in the inputted video sound data from theoutput of the sound mode change detection part 2301 and of gaining thetime stamp with respect to the coded digital video sound data, wherein asound mode change is carried out, from the time stamp sampling part2302. In addition, the switching control part 2306 is a means of gainingthe time stamp with respect to the coded digital video sound data, whichis reproduced after being recorded in the disk recording medium part2303, from the time stamp analysis part 2304. The switching control part2306 is a means of receiving the outputs of the sound mode changedetection part 2301, of time stamp sampling part 2302 and of the timestamp analysis part 2304 and of controlling the output switching part2307 for switching between the video sound data outputted without beingrecorded in the disk recording medium part 2303 and the video sound datawhich is reproduced after being recorded in the disk recording mediumpart 2303.

Here, the means which includes the user interface part 2305 correspondsto the selection means of the present invention, the means whichincludes the disk recording medium part 2303 corresponds to the outputswitching means of the present invention, the means including the outputswitching part 2307 corresponds to the output switching means of thepresent invention, the means which includes the sound mode changedetection part 2301 corresponds to the detection means of the presentinvention, the means which includes the switching control part 2306corresponds to the switching control means of the present invention, themeans which includes the time stamp sampling part 2302 corresponds tothe time information sampling means of the present invention and themeans which includes the time stamp analysis part 2304 corresponds tothe switching position specification means of the present invention.

Next, the operation of the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to the present embodiment is describedin the case that the switching of the inputted video sound data hasoccurred.

In the information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus ofFIG. 23, the inputted coded digital video sound data passes through thesound mode change detection part 2301 and the time stamp sampling part2302 so as to be recorded in the disk recording medium part 2303 in thecase that conventional viewing and listening are carried out. The codeddigital video sound data recorded in the disk recording medium part 2303passes through the time stamp analysis part 2304 and the outputswitching part 2307 so as to be decoded into digital video sound data bythe decoding part 2308 and, after that, passes through the DA conversionpart 2309 so as to outputted as analog video sound. The user normallyuses the reproduction of the video sound data recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2303 in the above manner.

Here, at the time when the user switches the inputted video sound data,the user interface part 2305 makes notification of the switching of theinputted video sound data to the switching control part 2306.

The switching control part 2306 receives the output of the userinterface part 2305 and controls the output switching part 2307 so thatvideo sound data is outputted without being recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2303 from the video sound data recorded in thedisk recording medium part 2303.

The output switching part 2307 switches the output from the codeddigital video sound data recorded in the disk recording medium part 2303to the inputted coded digital video sound data so as to output the videosound data to the decoding part 2308.

In addition, the inputted coded digital video sound data passes throughthe output switching part 2307, the decoding part 2308 and the DAconversion part 2309 so as to outputted to the outside of the apparatusand, at the same time, continuously passes through the sound mode changedetection part 2301 and the time stamp sampling part 2302 so as to berecorded in the disk recording medium part 2303 and, after that, passesthrough the time stamp analysis part 2304 so as to be outputted to theoutput switching part 2307.

Then, when a sound mode change is detected in the inputted video sounddata by the sound mode change detection part 2301, the switching controlpart 2306 controls the decoding part 2308 so as to implement aconversion to the still video condition immediately after the sound modechange and converts the video sound data outputted after passing throughthe DA conversion part 2309 into a still image condition immediatelyafter the sound mode change.

The switching control part 2306 also recognizes the time stamp of theinputted coded digital video sound data in which a sound mode change hasoccurred from the time stamp sampling part 2302.

The time stamp analysis part 2304 monitors the time stamp of the codeddigital video sound data which is outputted from the disk recording part2303 and determines whether or not the video sound data detected by thesound mode change detection part 2301 is outputted from the diskrecording medium part 2303 after being recorded in the disk recordingmedium part 2303 based on the time stamp gained from the time stampsampling part 2302.

When the time stamp analysis part 2304 senses that the coded digitalvideo sound data detected by the sound mode change detection part 2301is outputted from the disk recording medium part 2303, the switchingcontrol part 2306 switches the coded digital video sound data outputtedfrom the output switching part 2307 from the inputted coded digitalvideo sound data to the coded digital video sound data outputted fromthe time stamp analysis part 2304.

In addition, the switching control part 2306 directs the decoding part2308 which is outputting the still video immediately after the soundmode change, to decode and output the coded digital video sound dataoutputted from the time stamp analysis part 2304.

As described above, in the case that the inputted video sound data isnot analog video sound data as described in the present Embodiment 8but, rather, is coded digital video sound data, an informationreception, recording and reproduction method can be implemented whereinthe unnatural feeling given to the user due to a time lag between theinputted video sound data and the video sound data which is reproducedafter being recorded in the recording medium is reduced so that smoothswitching of the output video sound data is possible by switching theinputted video sound data and the video sound data which is reproducedafter being recorded in the recording medium in accordance with thesound mode change detection of the inputted video data at the time whenswitching of the inputted video sound data is carried out.

Embodiment 10

Next, the structure and the operation fan information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus according to the present Embodiment10 are described primarily in reference to FIG. 26. Here, the structureand the operation of the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus of the present embodiment is described and, atthe same time, one embodiment of the information reception, recordingand reproduction method of the present invention is described.

First, in reference to FIG. 26, the structure of the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus into which analog videosound data is inputted is described in the present embodiment. Here,FIG. 26 shows a block diagram of the information reception, recordingand reproduction apparatus of the present embodiment.

As described below, the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to the present Embodiment 10 isdifferent from the information reception, recording and reproductionapparatus according to the prior art and is an information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus wherein commercial messages(hereinafter also referred to as CM) are detected by a CM detection part2603 from the inputted video sound data and the output of the outputtedvideo sound data can be switched in an output switching part 2611 whichreceives the control of a switching control part 2608.

The information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus of thepresent embodiment is formed of an AD conversion part (referred to asADC in the figure) 2601 for digitally converting inputted analog videosound data, a frame memory 2610 for temporarily storing the digitizedvideo sound data, a coding part 2602 for coding the digital video sounddata, a CM detection part 2603 for reading out CM information which isincluded in the coded digital video sound data and for detecting thepositions of the CMs from the coded digital video sound data, a timestamp sampling part 2604 for extracting a time stamp from the codeddigital video sound data, a disk recording medium part 2605 for allowingrandom access, a time stamp analysis part 2606 for extracting the timestamp from the coded digital video sound data so as to analyze the timestamp, a decoding part 2607 for decoding the coded digital video sounddata, an output switching part 2611 for switching between the digitalvideo sound data outputted without being recorded in the disk recordingmedium part 2605 and the digital video sound data recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2605, a switching control part 2608 forcontrolling this output switching part 2611, a user interface part 2609for making notification of a command from the user to the switchingcontrol part 2608 and a DA conversion part (referred to as DAC in thefigure) 2612 for converting the digital video sound data into analogvideo sound data.

The switching control part 2608 is a means of recognizing the occurrenceof a CM in the inputted video sound data from the output of the CMdetection part 2603 and of gaining, from the time stamp sampling part2604, a time stamp with respect to the coded digital video sound datawherein a CM has occurred. In addition, the switching control part 2608is a means of gaining, from the time stamp analysis part 2606, a timestamp with respect to the coded digital video sound data, which isreproduced after being recorded in the disk recording medium part 2605.The switching control part 2608 is a means of receiving the outputs ofthe CM detection part 2603, of the time stamp sampling part 2604 and ofthe time stamp analysis part 2606 and of controlling the outputswitching part 2611 which switches between the digital video sound dataoutputted without being recorded in the disk recording medium part 2605and the digital video sound data which is reproduced after beingrecorded in the disk recording medium part 2605.

Here, the means which includes the user interface part 2609 correspondsto the selection means of the present invention, the means whichincludes the disk recording medium part 2605 corresponds to therecording and reproduction means of the present invention, the meanswhich includes the output switching part 2611 corresponds to the outputswitching means of the present invention, the means which includes theCM detection part 2603 corresponds to the detection means of the presentinvention, the means which includes the switching control part 2608corresponds to the switching control means of the present invention, themeans which includes the time stamp sampling part 2604 corresponds tothe time information sampling means of the present invention and themeans which includes the time stamp analysis part 2606 corresponds tothe switching position specification means of the present invention.

Next, primarily in reference to FIGS. 26 and 28, the operation of theinformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus according tothe present embodiment is described in the case that switching of theinputted video sound data has occurred. Here, FIG. 28 is a flowchartshowing a switching process of the video sound data outputted by meansof the output from the CM detection part 2603 (in reference to FIG. 26).

In the case that conventional viewing and listening are carried out inthe information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus of FIG.26, the inputted analog video sound data is coded by the coding part2602 after being digitized by the AD conversion part 2601.

The coding part 2602 adds information which indicates a CM is coded tothe coded digital video sound data in the case that the CM is includedin the coded video sound data. The coded digital video sound data passesthrough the CM detection part 2603 and the time stamp sampling part 2604so as to be recorded in the disk recording medium part 2605. The codeddigital video sound data recorded in the disk recording medium part 2605passes through the time stamp analysis part 2606 so as to be decoded todigital video sound data by the decoding part 2607 and, after that,passes through the output switching part 2611 and the DA conversion part2612 so as to be outputted as analog video sound. The user usuallyreproduces video sound data recording in the disk recording medium part2605 in the above manner.

Here, when the user switches the inputted video sound data (for example,when the inputted video sound data is a TV broadcast program and theuser switches the channel being watched by the user to another channel)notification of the switching of the inputted video sound data is madeto the switching control part 2608 by the user interface part 2609(S1C).

The switching control part 2608 receives the output of the userinterface part 2609 and controls the output switching part 2611 so thatvideo sound data is outputted from the video sound data recorded in thedisk recording medium part 2605 without being recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2605.

The output switching part 2611 switches the output from the video sounddata recorded in the disk recording medium part 2605 to the inputtedvideo sound data, which is digitized by the AD conversion part 2601 andwhich is temporarily stored in the frame memory 2610, and outputs videosound data to the DA conversion part 2612 (S2C).

In addition, the inputted video sound data passes through the framememory 2610, the output switching part 2611 and the DA conversion part2612 so as to be outputted to the outside of the apparatus and, at thesame time, is coded by the coding part 2602 and passes through the CMdetection part 2603 and the time stamp sampling part 2604 so as to berecorded in the disk recording medium part 2605 and, after that, passesthrough the time stamp analysis part 2606 and the decoding part 2607 soas to be outputted to the output switching part 2611.

Then, when the CM detection part 2603 detects a CM in the inputted videosound data (S3C), the switching control part 2608 controls the framememory 2610 so as to implement a conversion to the still video conditionimmediately after the CM detection and converts the video data outputtedafter passing through the output switching part 2611 and the DAconversion part 2612 to the still image condition immediately after theCM detection and, at the same time, the time stamp sampling part 2604recognizes a time stamp of the coded digital video sound data where a CMhas occurred (S4C).

The time stamp analysis part 2606 monitors the time stamp of the codeddigital video sound data outputted from the disk recording part 2605 anddetermines whether or not the coded digital video sound data detected bythe CM detection part 2603 is outputted from the disk recording mediumpart 2605 after being recorded in the disk recording medium part 2605based on the time stamp gained from the time stamp sampling part 2604.

When the time stamp analysis part 2606 senses that the coded digitalvideo sound data detected by the CM detection part 2603 is outputtedfrom the disk recording medium part 2605 (S5C) the switching controlpart 2608 switches the digital video sound data outputted from theoutput switching part 2611 from the video sound data outputted from theframe memory 2610 to the digital video sound data outputted from thedecoding part 2607. Here, the real time reproduction still image outputimmediately after the CM detection from the frame memory 2610 iscontinued up to the time when the time stamp gained from the time stampanalysis part 2606 agrees with the time stamp recognized by the timestamp sampling part 2604 (S6C).

As described above, when the inputted video sound data is switched, theinputted video sound data and the video sound data which is reproducedafter being recorded in the recording medium are switched in accordancewith the CM detection of the inputted video data so as to be outputtedand, thereby, an information reception, recording and reproductionmethod can be implemented, wherein any unnatural feeling given to theuser due to a time lag between the inputted video sound data and thevideo sound data which is reproduced after being recorded in therecording medium is reduced so as to make a smooth switching of theoutputted video sound data possible by freezing the video immediatelyafter the CM detection.

Embodiment 11

Next, the structure and the operation of an information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus according to the present Embodiment11 are described primarily in reference to FIG. 27. Here, the structureand the operation of the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus of the present embodiment are described and, atthe same time, one embodiment of an information reception, recording andreproduction method of the present invention is described.

First, in reference to FIG. 27, the structure of the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus of the presentembodiment is described. Here, FIG. 27 is a block diagram of theinformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus.

As described below, coded digital video sound data instead of analogvideo sound data is inputted to the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to the present embodiment, which is aninformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus whichdetects CMs in a CM detection part 2701 from the inputted video sounddata and which can switch the output of the outputted video sound datain an output switching part 2707 that receives the control of aswitching control part 2706 in the same manner as in the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus according to the presentEmbodiment 10.

The information reception, recording and reproduction apparatusaccording to the present embodiment is formed of a CM detection part2701 for reading out CM information included in the inputted codeddigital video sound data, a time stamp sampling part 2702 for extractinga time stamp from the coded digital video sound data, a disk recordingmedium part 2703 for allowing random access, a time stamp analysis part2704 for extracting a time stamp from the coded digital video sound dataso as to analyze the time stamp, a decoding part 2708 for decoding thecoded digital video sound data, an output switching part 2707 forswitching between the video sound data outputted without being recordedin the disk recording medium part 2703 and the video sound data recordedin the disk recording medium part 2703, the switching control part 2706for controlling this output switching part 2707, the user interface part2705 for making notification of a command from the user to the switchingcontrol part 2706 and a DA conversion part (referred to as DAC in thefigure) 2709 for converting the digital video sound data into analogvideo sound data.

The switching control part 2706 is a means of recognizing the occurrenceof a CM in the inputted video sound data from the output of the CMdetection part 2701 and of gaining a time stamp with respect to thecoded digital video sound data where the CM has occurred from the timestamp sampling part 2702. In addition, the switching control part 2706is a means of gaining the time stamp with respect to the coded digitalvideo sound data, which is reproduced after being recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2703, from the time stamp analysis part 2704. Theswitching control part 2706 is a means of receiving the outputs of theCM detection part 2701, of the time stamp sampling part 2702 and thetime stamp analysis part 2704 and of controlling the output switchingpart 2707 which switches between the video sound data outputted withoutbeing recorded in the disk recording medium part 2703 and the videosound data which is reproduced after being recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2703.

Here, the means which includes the user interface part 2705 correspondsto the selection means of the present invention, the means whichincludes the disk recording medium part 2703 corresponds to therecording and reproduction means of the present invention, the meanswhich includes the output switching part 2707 corresponds to the outputswitching means of the present invention, the means which includes theCM detection part 2701 corresponds to the detection means of the presentinvention, the means which includes the switching control part 2706corresponds to the switching control means of the present invention, themeans which includes the time stamp sampling part 2702 corresponds tothe time information sampling means of the present invention and themeans which includes the time stamp analysis part 2704 corresponds tothe switching position specification means of the present invention.

Next, the operation of the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to the present embodiment is describedin the case that switching of the inputted video sound data hasoccurred.

In the information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus ofFIG. 27, in the case that conventional viewing and listening are carriedout, the inputted coded digital video sound data passes through the CMdetection part 2701 and the time stamp sampling part 2702 so as to berecorded in the disk recording medium part 2703. The coded digital videosound data recorded in the disk recording medium part 2703 passesthrough the time stamp analysis part 2704 and the output switching part2707 so as to be decoded to digital video sound data in the decodingpart 2708 and, after that, passes through the DA conversion part 2709 soas to be outputted as analog video sound. The user usually reproducesthe video sound data recorded in the disk recording medium part 2703 inthe above manner.

Here, when the user switches the inputted video sound data the userinterface part 2705 makes notification of the switching of the inputtedvideo sound data to the switching control part 2706.

The switching control part 2706 receives the output of the userinterface part 2705 and controls the output switching part 2707 so thatthe video sound data is outputted from the coded digital video sounddata recorded in the disk recording medium part 2703 without beingrecorded in the disk recording medium part 2703.

The output switching part 2707 switches the output from the codeddigital video sound data recorded in the disk recording medium part 2703to the inputted coded digital video sound data so as to output the videosound data to the decoding part 2708.

In addition, the inputted coded digital video sound data passes throughthe output switching part 2707, the decoding part 2708 and the DAconversion part 2709 so as to be outputted to the outside of theapparatus and, at the same time, continuously passes through the CMdetection part 2701 and the time stamp sampling part 2702 so as to berecorded in the disk recording medium part 2703 and, after that passesthrough the time stamp analysis part 2704 so as to be outputted to theoutput switching part 2707.

Then, when the CM detection part 2701 detects a CM in the inputted videosound data, the switching control part 2706 controls the decoding part2708 so as to implement a conversion to the still video conditionimmediately after the CM detection and converts the video sound dataoutputted after passing through the DA conversion part 2709 to the stillimage condition immediately after the CM.

The switching control part 2706 also recognizes a time stamp of theinputted coded digital video sound data where the CM has occurred fromthe time stamp sampling part 2702.

The time stamp analysis part 2704 monitors the time stamp of the codeddigital video sound data outputted from the disk recording part 2703 anddetermines whether or not the coded digital video sound data detected bythe CM detection part 2701 is outputted from the disk recording mediumpart 2703 after being recorded in the disk recording medium part 2703based on the time stamp gained from the time stamp sampling part 2702.

When the time stamp analysis part 2704 senses that the coded digitalvideo sound data detected by the CM detection part 2701 is outputtedfrom the disk recording medium part 2703, the switching control part2706 switches the coded digital video sound data outputted from theoutput switching part 2707 from the inputted coded digital video sounddata to the coded digital video sound digital data outputted from thetime stamp analysis part 2704.

In addition, the switching control part 2706 directs the decoding part2708 which outputs the still image immediately after the CM to decodeand output the coded digital video sound data outputted from the timestamp analysis part 2704.

As described above, even in the case that the inputted video sound datais coded digital video sound instead of analog video sound data asdescribed in the present Embodiment 10, when the switching of theinputted video sound data is carried out, the inputted video sound dataand the video sound data which is reproduced after being recorded in therecording medium are switched in accordance with the CM detection of theinputted video sound data so as to be outputted and, thereby, aninformation reception, recording and reproduction method can beimplemented, wherein any unnatural feeling given to the user due to atime lag between the inputted video sound data and the video sound datawhich is reproduced after being recorded in the recording medium isreduced and smooth switching of the outputted video sound data ispossible.

Embodiment 12

Next, the structure and the operation of the information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus according to the present Embodiment12 are described primarily in reference to FIG. 29. Here, the structureand the operation of the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus of the present embodiment are described and, atthe same time, one embodiment of an information reception, recording andreproduction method of the present invention is described.

First, in reference to FIG. 29, the structure of the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus according to the presentembodiment to which analog video sound data is inputted is described.Here, FIG. 29 shows a block diagram of the information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus of the present embodiment.

As described below, the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to the present Embodiment 12 isdifferent from the information reception, recording and reproductionapparatus according to the prior art and is an information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus wherein a coded data amountcalculation part 2903 detects a video portion without sound and withoutmovement to and from the subsequent and previous video image frominputted video sound data and the output of the outputted video sounddata can be switched by an output switching part 2911, which iscontrolled by the switching control part 2908.

The information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus of thepresent embodiment is formed of an AD conversion part (referred to asADC in the figure) 2901, which digitally converts inputted analog videosound data, a frame memory 2910 for temporarily storing digitized videodata, a coding part 2902 for coding the digital video sound data, acoded data amount calculation part 2903 for detecting a video portionwithout sound and without movement to and from the subsequent andprevious video image from the coded digital video sound data, a timestamp sampling part 2904 for extracting a time stamp from the codeddigital video sound data, a disk recording medium part 2905 for allowingrandom access, a time stamp analysis part 2906 for extracting a timestamp from the coded digital video sound data and for analyzing the timestamp, a decoding part 2907 for decoding the coded digital video sounddata, an output switching part 2911 for switching between the digitalvideo sound data which is outputted without being recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2905 and the digital video sound data recorded inthe disk recording medium part 2905, a switching control part 2908 forcontrolling this output switching part 2911, the user interface part2909 for making notification of a command from the user to the switchingcontrol part 2908 and a DA conversion part (referred to as DAC in thefigure) 2912 for converting the digital video sound data into analogvideo sound data.

The switching control part 2908 is a means of recognizing the occurrenceof a video portion without sound and without movement to and from thesubsequent and previous video image in the inputted video sound datafrom the output of the coded data amount calculation part 2903 and ofgaining a time stamp with respect to the coded digital video sound datawherein the video portion without sound and without movement to and fromthe subsequent and previous video image has occurred from the time stampsampling part 2904. In addition, the switching control part 2908 is ameans of gaining a time stamp with respect to the coded digital videosound data which is reproduced after being recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2905 from the time stamp analysis part 2906. Theswitching control part 2908 is a means of receiving the outputs of thecoded data amount calculation part 2903, of the time stamp sampling part2904 and of the time stamp analysis part 2906 and of controlling theoutput switching part 2911 which switches between the digital videosound data that is outputted without being recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2905 and the digital video sound data that isreproduced after being recorded in the disk recording medium part 2905.

Here, the means which includes the user interface part 2909 correspondsto the selection means of the present invention, the means whichincludes the disk recording medium part 2905 corresponds to therecording and reproduction means of the present invention, the meanswhich includes the output switching part 2911 corresponds to the outputswitching means of the present invention, the means which includes thecoded data amount calculation part 2903 corresponds to the detectionmeans of the present invention, the means which includes the switchingcontrol part 2908 corresponds to the switching control means of thepresent invention, the means which includes the time stamp sampling part2904 corresponds to the time information sampling means of the presentinvention and the means which includes the time stamp analysis part 2906corresponds to the switching position specification means of the presentinvention.

Next, primarily in reference to FIGS. 29 and 31, the operation of theinformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus according tothe present embodiment is described in the case that the switching ofthe inputted video sound data has occurred. Here, FIG. 31 is a flowchart showing a switching process of the outputted video sound data bymeans of the output of the coded data amount calculation part 2903 (seeFIG. 29).

In the information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus ofFIG. 29, in the case that conventional listening and viewing are carriedout, the inputted analog video sound data is coded by the coding part2902 after being digitized by the AD conversion part 2901. The codeddigital video sound data passes through the coded data amountcalculation part 2903 and the time stamp sampling part 2904 so as to berecorded in the disk recording medium part 2905.

Here, the coded data amount calculation part 2903 detects the positionof a portion without sound from the coded digital video sound data andthe position of a video portion without movement to and from thesubsequent and previous video image. For example, in the case that MPEGtechnology is used as the coding compression technology, prediction ofthe movement from the subsequent and previous video image is used incoding the video data. From this movement prediction information, theposition of a video portion which is in the condition that approximatesa still image without movement is detected. In the present embodimentthe coded data amount calculation part 2903 determines that a portionwithout sound and a video portion without movement to and from thesubsequent and previous video image are included in the coded videosound data in the case that one second, or more, of the portion withoutsound and the video portion without movement to and from the subsequentand previous video image are in the coded digital video sound data.

The coded digital video sound data recorded in the disk recording mediumpart 2905 passes through the time stamp analysis part 2906 so as to bedecoded to the digital video sound data by the decoding part 2907 and,after that, passes through the output switching part 2911 and the DAconversion part 2912 so as to be outputted as analog video sound. Theuser usually reproduces the video sound data recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2905 in the above manner.

Here, when the user switches to the inputted video sound data (forexample, when the inputted video sound data is a TV broadcast programand the user switches the channel being watched by the user to anotherchannel) the user interface part 2909 makes notification of theswitching of the inputted video sound data to the switching control part2908 (S1D).

The switching control part 2908 receives the output from the userinterface part 2909 and controls the output switching part 2911 so thatthe video sound data is outputted from the video sound data recorded inthe disk recording medium part 2905 without being recorded in the diskrecording medium part 2905.

The output switching part 2911 switches the output from the video sounddata recorded in the disk recording medium part 2905 to the inputtedvideo sound data which is digitized by the AD conversion part 2901 andwhich is temporarily stored in the frame memory 2910 and outputs theinputted digital video sound data to the DA conversion part 2912 (S2D).

In addition, the inputted video sound data passes through the framememory 2910, the output switching part 2911 and the DA conversion part2912 so as to outputted to the ousted of the apparatus and, at the sametime, is continuously coded by the coding part 2902 and passes throughthe coded data amount calculation part 2903 and the time stamp samplingpart 2904 so as to recorded in the disk recording medium part 2905 and,after that, passes through the time stamp analysis part 2906 and thedecoding part 2907 so as to be outputted to the output switching part2911.

Then, when the coded data amount calculation part 2903 detects a videoportion without sound and without movement to and from the subsequentand previous video image in the coded digital video sound data (S3D),the switching control part 2908 controls the frame memory 2910 so as toimplement a conversion to the still video condition of the video portionwithout sound and without movement to and from the subsequent andprevious video image and converts the video data outputted after passingthrough the output switching part 2911 and the DA conversion part 2912to the still image condition of the video portion without movement toand from the subsequent and previous video image and, at the same time,recognizes a time stamp of the coded digital video sound data whereinthe video portion without sound and without movement to and from thesubsequent and previous video image has occurred for one second (S4D).

The time stamp analysis part 2906 monitors the time stamp of the codeddigital video sound data outputted from the disk recording part 2905 anddetermines whether or not the coded digital video sound data detected bythe coded data amount calculation part 2903 is outputted from the diskrecording medium part 2905 after being recorded in the disk recordingmedium part 2905 based on the time stamp gained by the time stampsampling part 2904.

When the time stamp analysis part 2906 senses that the coded digitalvideo sound data detected by the coded data amount calculation part 2903is outputted from the disk recording medium part 2905 (S5D), theswitching control part 2908 switches the digital video sound dataoutputted from the output switching part 2911 from the video sound dataoutputted from the frame memory 2910 to the video sound data outputtedfrom the coding part 2907. Here, the real time reproduction still imageoutput of the video portion without sound and without movement to andfrom the subsequent and previous video image from the frame memory 2910is continued up to the time when the time stamp gained by the time stampanalysis part 2906 agrees with the coded digital video data wherein thevideo portion without sound and without movement to and from thesubsequent and previous video image detected by the time stamp samplingpart 2904 has occurred for one second (S6D).

As described above, when the switching of the inputted video sound datais carried out, the inputted video sound data and the video sound datawhich is reproduced after being recorded in the recording medium areswitched so as to be outputted in accordance with the detection of thevideo portion without sound and without movement to and from thesubsequent and previous video image of the inputted video data and,thereby, an information reception, recording and reproduction method canbe implemented wherein any unnatural feeling given to the user due to atime lag between the inputted video sound data and the video sound datawhich is reproduced after being recorded in the recording medium isreduced by freezing the video in the video portion without sound andwithout movement to and from the subsequent and previous video image sothat a smooth switching of the output video sound data is possible.

Embodiment 13

Next, the structure and the operation of an information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus according to the present Embodiment13 is described primarily in reference to FIG. 30. Here, the structureand the operation of the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus of the present embodiment are described and, atthe same time, one embodiment of an information reception, recording andreproduction method of the present invention is described.

First, in reference to FIG. 30, the structure of the informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus of the presentembodiment is described. Here, FIG. 30 shows a block diagram of theinformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus.

As described below, coded digital video sound data, instead of analogvideo sound data, is inputted to the information reception, recordingand reproduction apparatus according to the present embodiment which is,in the same manner as the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus in the present Embodiment 12, an informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus wherein video portionswithout sound and without movement from and to the previous andsubsequent video images are detected by a coding data amount calculationpart 3001 from the inputted video sound data and the output of theoutputted video sound data can be switched in an output switching part3007, which receives the control of a switching control part 3006.

The information reception, recording and reproduction apparatusaccording to the present embodiment is formed of a coded data amountcalculation part 3001 for detecting video portions without sound andwithout movement from and to the previous and subsequent video imagesfrom the coded digital video sound data, a time stamp sampling part 3002for extracting a time stamp from the coded digital video sound data, adisk recording medium part 3003 for allowing random access, a time stampanalysis part 3004 for extracting a time stamp from the coded digitalvideo sound data so as to analyze the time stamp, a decoding part 3008for decoding the coded digital video sound data, an output switchingpart 3007 for switching between the video sound data which is outputtedwithout being recorded in the disk recording medium part 3003 and thevideo sound data recorded in the disk recording medium part 3003, aswitching control part 3006 for controlling this output switching part3007, a user interface part 3005 for making notification of a commandfrom the user to the switching control part 3006 and a DA conversionpart (referred to as DAC in the figure) 3009 for converting the digitalvideo sound data into analog video sound data.

The switching control part 3006 is a means of recognizing the occurrenceof a video portion without sound and without movement from and to theprevious and subsequent video images in the inputted video data from theoutput of the coded data amount calculation part 3001 and of gaining atime stamp, from time stamp sampling part 3002, with respect to thecoded digital video sound data wherein the video portion without soundand without movement from and to the previous and subsequent videoimages has occurred. In addition, the switching control part 3006 is ameans of gaining a time stamp, from the time stamp analysis part 3004,with respect to the coded digital video sound data, which is reproducedafter being recorded in the disk recording medium part 3003. Theswitching control part 3006 is a means of receiving the outputs of thecoded data amount calculation part 3001, of the time stamp sampling part3002 and of the time stamp analysis part 3004 and of controlling theoutput switching part 3007 which switches between the video sound datathat is outputted without being recorded in the disk recording mediumpart 3003 and the video sound data that is reproduced after beingrecorded in the disk recording medium part 3003.

Here, the means which includes the user interface part 3005 correspondsto the selection means of the present invention, means which includesthe disk recording medium part 3003 corresponds to the recording andreproduction means of the present invention, the means which includesthe output switching part 3007 corresponds to the output switching meansof the present invention, means which includes the coded data amountcalculation part 3001 corresponds to the detection means of the presentinvention, the means which includes the switching control part 3006corresponds to the switching control means of the present invention, themeans which includes the time stamp sampling part 3002 corresponds tothe time information sampling means of the present invention and themeans which includes the time stamp analysis part 3004 corresponds tothe switching position specification means of the present invention.

Next, the operation of the information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to the present embodiment is describedin the case that the switching of inputted video sound data hasoccurred.

In the information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus ofFIG. 30, in the case that conventional switching and listening arecarried out, inputted coded digital video sound data passes through thecoded data amount calculation part 3001 and the time stamp sampling part3002 so as to be recorded in the disk recording medium part 3003. Thecoded digital video sound data recorded in the disk recording mediumpart 3003 passes through the time stamp analysis part 3004 and theoutput switching part 3007 so as to be decoded into digital video sounddata by the decoding part 3008 and, after that, passes through the DAconversion part 3009 so as to outputted as analog video sound. The userconventionally reproduces the video sound data recorded in the diskrecording medium part 3003 in such a manner.

Here, when the user switches to the inputted video sound data, the userinterface part 3005 makes notification of the switching of the inputtedvideo sound data to the switching control part 3006.

The switching control part 3006 receives the output of the userinterface part 3005 and controls the output switching part 3007 so thatthe video sound data is outputted without being recorded in the diskrecording medium part 3003 from the video sound data recorded in thedisk recording medium part 3003.

The output switching part 3007 switches the output from the codeddigital video sound data recorded in the disk recording medium part 3003to the inputted coded digital video sound data so as to output the videosound data to the decoding part 3008.

In addition, the inputted coded digital video sound data passes throughthe output switching part 3007, the decoding part 3008 and the DAconversion part 3009 so as to outputted to the outside of the apparatusand, at the same time, continuously passes through the coded data amountcalculation part 3001 and the time stamp sampling part 3002 so as to berecorded in the disk recording medium part 3003 and, after that, passesthrough the time stamp analysis part 3004 so as to be outputted to theoutput switching part 3007.

Then, when the coded data amount calculation part 3001 detects a videoportion without sound and without movement from and to the previous andsubsequent video images in the inputted video sound data, the switchingcontrol part 3006 controls the decoding part 3008 so as to implement aconversion to the still video condition of the video portion withoutsound and without movement from and to the previous and subsequent videoimages and converts the video sound data outputted after passing throughthe DA conversion part 3009 to the still image condition of the videoportion without sound and without movement from and to the previous andsubsequent video images.

The switching control part 3006 also recognizes a time stamp of theinputted coded digital video sound data wherein the video portionwithout sound and without movement from and to the previous andsubsequent video images has occurred from the time stamp sampling part3002.

The time stamp analysis part 3004 monitors the time stamp of the codeddigital video sound data, which is outputted from the disk recordingpart 3003, and determines whether or not the video sound data detectedby the coded data amount calculation part 3001 is outputted from thedisk recording medium part 3003 after being recorded in the diskrecording medium part 3003 based on the time stamp gained from the timestamp sampling part 3002.

When the time stamp analysis part 3004 senses that the coded digitalvideo sound data detected by the coded data amount calculation part 3001is outputted from the disk recording medium part 3003, the switchingcontrol part 3006 switches the coded digital video sound data outputtedfrom the output switching part 3007 from the inputted coded digitalvideo sound data to the coded digital video sound data outputted fromthe time stamp analysis part 3004.

In addition, the switching control part 3006 directs the decoding part3008 which is outputting the still video of the video portion withoutsound and without movement from and to the previous and subsequent videoimages, to decode and output the coded digital video sound dataoutputted from the time stamp analysis part 3004.

As described above, even in the case that the inputted video sound datais not analog video sound data as described in the present Embodiment 12but, rather, is coded digital video sound data, video portions withoutsound and without movement from and to the previous and subsequent videoimages are detected at the time when the switching of the inputted videosound data is carried out and, thereby, an information reception,recording and reproduction method can be implemented wherein anyunnatural feeling given to the user due to a time lag between theinputted video sound data and the video sound data that is reproducedafter being recorded in the recording medium is reduced so that a smoothswitching of the outputted video sound data is possible by switching andoutputting the inputted video sound data and the video sound data thatis reproduced after being recorded in the recording medium.

Here, the control for switching based on the detection result of thepresent invention means, in the above described embodiment, (1) when thedetection means of the present invention detects a position whereswitching is carried out, the output switching means of the presentinvention is controlled so as to make the conversion to a predeterminedcondition and (2) when the switching position specification means of thepresent invention specifies the position to be switched, the outputswitching means is made to switch to the output of the signal which isrecorded in the recording and reproduction means of the presentinvention and which is selected based on the indication for change.However, the present invention is not limited to this but, rather, thecontrol for switching based on the detection result of the inventionmeans of example, (1) even when the detection means of the presentinvention detects a position for switching, the output of the signalselected based on the indication for change, which does not pass throughthe recording and reproduction means, is maintained and (2) when theposition to be switched is outputted from the recording and reproductionmeans of the present invention, it may be switched to the output of thesignal selected based on the indication for change, which is recorded inthe recording and reproduction means. Though some of the video signalsare outputted again by passing through the recording and reproductionmeans after once being outputted through the recording and reproductionmeans so that, in some cases, a slight overlap occurs in the outputtedvideo image in the above manner, such an information reception,recording and reproduction apparatus can be of a structure wherein thetime information sampling means of the present invention or theswitching position specification means of the present invention are notrequired so as to have the advantage of having a simple structure whichcan be manufactured at a low cost so that any unnatural feeling given tothe viewer due to the slowness of response of the remote controller canby reduced to a certain extent.

In addition, control of the output switching means of the presentinvention so as to make a conversion to a predetermined condition means,in the above described present embodiment, to freeze the signal selectedbased on the indication for change, which is outputted without passingthrough the recording and reproduction means, in the condition of thedetected position wherein switching is carried out. The presentinvention is not limited to this, however, and the control of the outputswitching means of the present invention so as to make a conversion to apredetermined condition may be, for example, to output a display showingthat switching of the signal is being carried out to the screen.

In addition, though information with respect to time corresponding tothe detected position wherein switching is carried out in the presentinvention is, in the above described embodiment, a time stamp, theinvention is not limited to this but, rather, in summary, it may beinformation with respect to time that corresponds to the position wherethe switching is carried out, which is utilized at the time thatswitching is carried out.

In addition, the received signal in the present invention is, in theabove described embodiment, an analog or a digital video sound signal sothat the information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus ofthe present invention corresponds to any of these video sound signals.The present invention is not limited to this, however, and aninformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus of thepresent invention may be provided with an analog/digital switching meansso that it can deal with either an analog or a digital video soundsignal and, in such a case, the recording and reproduction means of thepresent invention, for example, may, of course, be utilized in commonchange in the case of either of these video sound signals.

Here, the present invention is a program for allowing the functions ofthe entirety of, or a part of, the means (or apparatus, element,circuit, part, or the like) of the above described informationreception, recording and reproduction apparatus of the present inventionto be carried out by a computer and is a program which operates incooperation with a computer.

In addition, the present invention is a program for allowing theoperation of the entirety of, or some of, the steps (or processes,operations, working effects, or the like) of the above describedinformation reception, recording and reproduction method of the presentinvention to be carried out by a computer and is a program whichoperates in cooperation with a computer.

Here, a part of the means (or apparatus, element, circuit, part, or thelike) of the present invention and some of the steps (or processes,operations, working effects, or the like) of the present invention meansome means and some steps within these pluralities of means and steps ormean a portion of a function or a portion of an operation within onemeans or one step.

In addition, a recording medium which is readable by a computer andwhich records a program of the present invention is also included in thepresent invention.

In addition, one application mode of a program of the present inventionmay be a mode that is recorded in a recording medium that is readable bya computer and which operates in cooperation with a computer.

In addition, one application mode of a program of the present inventionmay be a mode that transmits in a transmission medium, is read by acomputer and operates in cooperation with a computer.

A ROM, or the like, is included as the recording medium, while Internet,light, radio waves, sound waves and the like, are included as thetransmission medium.

In addition, the above described computer of the present invention isnot limited to hardware exclusively, such as a CPU but, rather, may be acomputer which includes firmware, an OS or peripheral apparatuses.

Here, as described above, the structure of the present invention may beimplemented in a software manner or may be implemented in a hardwaremanner.

Thus, the present invention has, for example, in an informationreception, recording and reproduction method, or apparatus, whichrecords or reproduces coded digital video sound data in a disk recordingmedium, which allows random access, a means of detecting a time stamp ofthe coded digital video sound data recorded in the above disk recordingmedium, a means of analyzing the time stamp of the coded digital videosound data which is reproduced from the above disk recording medium, ameans of reproducing the inputted video sound data, after being recordedin the above disk recording medium, a means of reproducing the inputtedvideo sound data in real time, without being recorded in the aboverecording medium, and an output switching means of switching between andof outputting video sound data which is reproduced after being recordedin the above disk recording medium and the video sound data which isreproduced without being recorded in the above disk recording medium,wherein this output switching means is characterized by switching theoutputted video sound data by receiving the outputs from the above timestamp detection means and from the above time stamp analysis means.

In addition, the present invention is provided with a scene changedetection means of detecting, for example, a scene switching position ofthe inputted video data in the above information reception, recordingand reproduction method or apparatus and is characterized in that theabove output switching means of switching and outputting the video sounddata receives the output from this scene change detection means andswitches to the outputted video sound data.

In addition, the present invention is provided with a sound modeswitching detection means which detects a sound mode switching positionof the inputted video sound data in, for example, the above informationreception, recording and reproduction method or apparatus and ischaracterized in that the above output switching means of switching andoutputting the video sound data receives an output from this sound modeswitching detection means and switches to the received video sound data.

In addition, the present invention is provided with a CM detection meansof detecting a CM part of the inputted video sound data in, for example,the above information reception, recording and reproduction method orapparatus and is characterized in that the output switching means ofswitching and outputting the above video sound data receives an outputfrom this CM detection means and switches to the output of the outputtedvideo sound data.

In addition, the present invention is provided with a coded data amountcalculation means of detecting a soundless portion of the coded digitalvideo sound data and a movement to and from the subsequent and previousvideo image in, for example, the above described information reception,recording and reproduction method or apparatus and is characterized inthat the above output switching means of switching and outputting thevideo sound data receives an output from this coded data amountcalculation means and switches to the outputted video sound data.

In addition, the present invention is characterized in that the abovedescribed information reception, recording and reproduction method orapparatus, wherein the above inputted video sound data is analog videosound data, is, for example, provided with a means of converting analogdata into digital data, a means of temporarily storing the video digitaldata which is digitally converted, a means of coding digital video data,a means of recording digital data in the above disk recording medium, ameans of reading out digital data from the above disk recording medium,a means of decoding the coded data and a means of outputting the decodeddigital data after converting it to analog data.

In addition, the present invention is characterized in that the aboveinformation reception, recording and reproduction method or apparatus,wherein the above inputted video sound data is coded digital video sounddata, is provided with a means of recording digital data in the abovedisk recording medium, a means of reading out digital data from theabove disk recording medium, a means of decoding the coded data and ameans of outputting the coded digital data after converting it to analogdata.

As is clear from the above description, according to the presentinvention, an information reception, recording and reproduction methodor apparatus wherein video sound data that is digitally coded isrecorded to, and is reproduced from, a disk recording medium that allowsrandom access is, for example, provided with a means of sampling a timestamp of the coded digital video sound data in order to reproduce theinputted analog video sound data or digital video sound data, a means ofanalyzing the time stamp of the coded digital video sound data that isreproduced from the above disk recording medium, a means of reproducingdata after recording the data in a disk recording medium that allowsrandom access, a means of reproducing data without recording the data inthe recording medium, an output switching means of switching between andof outputting the video sound data that is reproduced after beingrecorded in the above disk recording medium and the video sound datathat is reproduced without being recorded in the above disk recordingmedium and a scene change detection means of detecting the sceneswitching position of the inputted video data, wherein the outputswitching means of switching and outputting the above video sound datareceives an output from the above scene change detection means andswitches to the output of the outputted video sound data and, thereby,the advantageous effect can be gained wherein the switching of theinputted video sound data can be smoothly carried out.

In addition, according to the present invention an informationreception, recording and reproduction method or apparatus for recordingand reproducing digitally coded video sound data to and from a diskrecording medium which allows for random access is provided with, forexample, a means of sampling a time stamp of coded digital video sounddata in order to reproduce inputted analog video sound data or digitalvideo sound data, a means of analyzing the time stamp of the codeddigital video sound data reproduced from the above disk recordingmedium, a means of reproducing data after recording the data in the diskrecording medium, which allows random access, a means of reproducingdata without recording the data in the recording medium, a outputswitching means of switching between and outputting the video sounddata, which is reproduced after being recorded in the above diskrecording medium, and the video sound data, which is reproduced withoutbeing recorded in the above disk recording medium and a sound modeswitching detection means of detecting a sound mode switching positionof the inputted video sound data, wherein the output switching means ofswitching and outputting the above video sound data receives an outputfrom the above sound mode switching detection means and switches to theoutput of the outputted video sound data and, thereby, the advantageouseffect can be gained wherein the switching of the inputted video sounddata can be smoothly carried out.

In addition, according to the present invention, an informationreception, recording and reproduction method or apparatus for recordingand reproducing digitally coded video sound data to and from a diskrecording medium which allows for random access is provided with, forexample, a means of sampling a time stamp of the coded digital videosound data in order to reproduce inputted analog video sound data ordigital video sound data, a means of analyzing the time stamp of thecoded digital video sound data, which is reproduced from the above diskrecording medium, a means of reproducing data after recording the datain the disk recording medium, which allows random access, a means ofreproducing data without recording the data in the recording medium, anoutput switching means of switching between and outputting the videosound data which is reproduced after being recorded in the above diskrecording medium and the video sound data which is reproduced withoutbeing recorded in the above disk recording medium and a CM detectionmeans of detecting a CM portion of the inputted video sound data,wherein the output switching means of switching and outputting the abovevideo sound data receives the output from the above CM detection meansand switches the output of the outputted video sound data and, thereby,the advantageous effect can be gained wherein the switching of theinputted video sound data can be smoothly carried out.

In addition, according to the present invention, an informationreception, recording and reproduction method or apparatus for recordingand reproducing digitally coded video sound data to and from a diskrecording medium which allows for random access is provided with, forexample, a means of sampling a time stamp of the coded digital videosound data in order to reproduce inputted analog video sound data ordigital video sound data, a means of analyzing the time stamp of thecoded digital video sound data, which is reproduced from the above diskrecording medium, a means of reproducing data after recording the datain the disk recording medium, which allows random access, a means ofreproducing data without recording the data in the recording medium, anoutput switching means of switching between and outputting the videosound data which is reproduced after being recorded in the above diskrecording medium and the video sound data which is reproduced withoutbeing recorded in the above disk recording medium and a coded dataamount calculation means of detecting a soundless portion of the codeddigital video sound data and a movement to and from the subsequent andprevious video images, wherein the output switching means of switchingand outputting the above video sound data receives the output of theabove coded data amount calculation means and switches the output of theoutputted video sound data and, thereby, an advantageous effect can begained wherein the switching of the inputted video sound data can besmoothly carried out.

Here, the present invention concretely relates to an informationreception, recording and reproduction method or apparatus forimplementing a time shift reproduction by utilizing a disk recordingmedium that allows random access and includes a method or apparatuscharacterized by the smooth carrying out of the switching of theoutputted video sound without giving an unnatural feeling to a viewer inthe case wherein the switching operation of the inputted channel iscarried out from a normal reproduction to a specific reproduction, suchas a forward direction high speed reproduction or a reverse directionhigh speed reproduction.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As is clear from the above description, according to the presentinvention, an information reception, recording and reproductionapparatus, and the like, is gained wherein a smooth switching of thereproduction condition is possible even in the case that thereproduction condition has changed from, for example, normalreproduction to a specific reproduction or from a specific reproductionto a normal reproduction so that the switching of the inputted videosound data can be smoothly carried out.

1. An information reception, recording and reproduction apparatus forcarrying out a time shift reproduction wherein a video sound signal isreproduced after being temporarily recorded, comprising, at least: afirst recording means of recording said video sound signal in order tocarry out the operation of said time shift reproduction, which allowsnon-sequential random access, and a second recording means, which allowsnon-sequential random access, at a speed higher than that of said firstrecording means; a real time transmission means of transmitting saidvideo sound signal in real time; and a switching means of switchingamong, and outputting an output of said first recording means, an outputof said second recording means and an output of said real timetransmission means, wherein said switching means carries out a switchingoperation based on a monitored condition of said video sound signal sothat the output of said second recording means is automatically used foroutputting before switching from the output of said first recordingmeans and the output of said real time transmission means.
 2. Theinformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus according toclaim 1, further comprising: a first coding means of receiving an inputof an analog signal as said video sound signal and of digitally codingsaid analog signal into coded data; and a first decoding means ofgaining a digital signal by decoding said coded data and of convertingthe digital signal into an analog signal, wherein said first recordingmeans and/or said second recording means carry out recording andreproduction of said video sound signal in the form of said coded dataand/or said digital signal.
 3. The information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising asampling means of sampling the entirety, or a part of, said video soundsignal as a specific reproduction signal for use in a specificreproduction based on the reproduction condition of said video soundsignal, wherein said second recording means records or reproduces saidspecific reproduction signal.
 4. The information reception, recordingand reproduction apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said samplingmeans has the function of changing the intervals of sampling time ofsaid specific reproduction signal in accordance with the speed of thespecific reproduction.
 5. The information reception, recording andreproduction apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said sampling meanssamples said specific reproduction signal in, the form of said codeddata and/or the form of the digital signal before said coded data iscoded.
 6. An information reception, recording and reproduction apparatusaccording to claim 3, wherein said second recording means changes theorder of reproduction of the coded data, which is said specificreproduction signal, and of the digital data before being coded, basedon the reproduction condition of said video sound signal.
 7. Theinformation reception, recording and reproduction apparatus according toclaim 1, further comprising a second decoding means of receiving codeddata that is digitally coded as said video sound signal, of gaining adigital signal by decoding said coded data and, in addition, ofconverting the digital signal into an analog signal, wherein said firstrecording means and/or said second recording means carry out recordingand reproduction of said video sound signal in the form of said codeddata and/or said digital signal.
 8. A computer readable medium storing aprogram for allowing a computer to function as the entirety of, or apart of, the first recording means which records said video sound signalfor carrying out the operation of said time shift reproduction and whichallows random access and the second recording means which allows randomaccess at a speed higher than that of said first recording means, thereal time transmission means of transmitting said video sound signal inreal time and the switching means of switching between and outputtingthe output of said first recording means, the output of said secondrecording means and the output of said real time transmission means ofthe information reception, recording and reproduction apparatusaccording to claim 1.